Fun Facts: The Magical Secrets You Never Knew About The #BookOfLife

We anticipated it, we watched it, and now we just can’t stop raving about it! There are so many things we can say about “The Book of Life” because we’re so fascinated by the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration and its magical portrayal of the underworld.

But “The Book of Life” isn’t just about the Day of the Dead celebration as there are a lot of messages that director Jorge R. Gutierrez wanted to tell us through the film.

Though Hollywood had its fair share of horror films this year,  “The Book of Life” could be one such film that was specifically made to view death in a positive way during the Halloween month. It’s a fairy tale that is written for both adults and kids to understand death from another perspective.

As such, we’ve decided to compile a list of fun facts that you never knew about the film! From its song choices to the character’s designs to the film’s inspiration, take a look at the behind-the-scenes of “The Book of Life”:

Although the film revolves around the Day of the Dead celebration, producer Guillermo del Toro mentioned in an interview that the important thing about the festival is life itself. He described that the whole message of movie focuses more on life instead of its opposite. He said:

It’s Carpe Diem, seize the day with mariachis. The guys that came before telling us, “You have to live”. It’s an emotional connection to the people that came before you.

2. Del Toro said Gutierrez’s pitch was a “terrible pitch”

During the film’s pre-production stage, Gutierrez recalled a time when he pitched the film’s idea to Del Toro. “This will go down in the history of cinema as the worst pitch of all time,” said Gutiérrez. He described that he had to yell all the ideas he had to Del Toro as there were about 10 gardening guys doing their job in the house next door, causing loud and horrible noise. In fact, he was drenched in sweat and almost fell into the pool at Del Toro’s art house 3 times (yup, 3 times) during the pitch.

The result? Del Toro told him it was a terrible pitch but he agreed to produce the film on the spot. He said, “Yeah, my daughters and I used to watch El Tigre on TV, and we loved it. Jorge has a very distinctive style and a uniquely Mexican style. And when he came in, I was already a fan.”

3. Inspired by Mexican folk art and Latin American folklore

Both Gutierrez and del Toro are passionate fans of Mexican folklore, which is why del Toro agreed to be involved in Gutierrez’s project.

As previously mentioned, Del Toro used to watch El Tigre on TV with his daughter and already became a fan when Gutierrez pitched his idea. Thus, he agreed to produce the film and said, “I love Mexican folk art because so much of it is handmade and it’s art by the people, for the people, about the people. It’s really accessible and a reflection of who we are.”

4. Family and friends as the film’s inspirations

While the film takes its inspiration from the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration, both producer and director mentioned that the film was also inspired by their memories with their family and friends. For example, Xibalba was actually inspired by Gutierrez’s grandfather, who was very much of a trickster as well.

Del Toro also said that the film reminded him of his time as a kid with his grandmother when they cleaned the grave of their grandfather during the Day of the Dead celebration. He admitted that he felt connected to Gutierrez’s script because it was very personal to him as well.

5. It took almost 14 years to produce the film

This journey only took 14 years. I love you Sandra! @BookofLifeMovie pic.twitter.com/M2jvLBr64l

— Jorge R. Gutierrez (@mexopolis) October 12, 2014

It’s always easier said than done but “The Book of Life” turned out to be one such example of a fine quality film with a good script that took almost 14 years to complete.

During an interview with JoBlo, Gutierrez described that he was overwhelmed and his heart was ready to “burst” when the film is made. “I could not be more proud to be able to show it to my son,” said Guiterrez.

6. Gutierrez designed the characters with his wife, Sandra

The main characters of the film were designed to look like they were made of wood, causing it to be one of the biggest design challenges for Gutierrez and the film’s visual effects team. Augusto Schillaci, the film’s visual effects supervisor said they’ve avoided the characters from being “super-photorealistic” and focused on creating the characters in square form. Most of the objects also had an underlying visual language that even Manolo’s guitar also bear evidence of his constant playing:

When you get close-ups of the characters, you’ll see the carvings on the wood and the general wear and tear.

On top of that, the characters were all designed by Gutierrex and his wife Sandra – he designed the male characters while his wife designed the female characters. However, both of them joined forces to design La Muerte, queen of the Land of the Remembered. “We had a lot of fun – and fights – designing her, and our marriage survived,” he says with a laugh.

Music played a big part of “The Book of Life” as the production managed to get the two-time Oscar® winning composer, Gustavo Santaolalla to put a fresh twist on the pop songs. From Mumford and Sons’ “I Will Wait” to Radiohead’s “Creep” to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, the filmmakers managed to land rights to put a Latin twist on the pop songs in the film.

Written by Santaolalla and the award-winning Paul Williams, ” I Love You Too Much” is an original love song created by them for Diego Luna’s character, Manolo. Zoe Saldana and Diego Luna also managed to perform”No Matter Where You Are”, a song by a real-life married couple known as Us the Duo.

“The Book of Life” is showing in a cinema near you so don’t miss it!

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First Look At James Cameron’s “Cirque”

For some of us, the chances of catching “Cirque du Soleil” live and having our jaws simultaneously drop at the sight of the electrifying performances are slim to none. First of all, it’s based in Canada. That’s right – travel halfway across the world for the “dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment”?

Too far! Too expensive! No time! Again, too expensive!

So when James Cameron announced earlier in January this year that he was producing a Cirque du Soleil film, we almost fainted at the excitement and the prospect of it all, but also hoping that the maker of the ground-breaking film “Avatar” wasn’t just making a cruel joke. It was not until when these stills were released last month that we thought, “Okay, it wasn’t a joke..”

Gasp! Even at a work-in-progress stage, it already looks like the visuals are going to be amazing. Perhaps even more amazing than Avatar, which was said to have change filmmaking altogether. We can’t deny that James Cameron took 3D filmmaking to an entirely new level. Right?

[youtube id=”fgiLU9lNnU8″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

The film, “Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away” is going to be a film showcasing the acrobatic wonders of the Cirque du Soleil troupe, in 3D. Yes, you read that right. This production is all set to transport the audience (read: ordinary people like ourselves) into an ethereal, dream-like world, in 3D.

When asked about the movie, Rob Moore (Paramount Pictures) said, “This 3D event brings the spectator beyond what they could see at a show, it takes them on the stage. This unique point of view allows the audience to discover the artistic details of our productions and reveal the human spirit that our artists bring to the audience in their performances.”

You can’t expect any less from Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away – and it’s likely that this one will go on to bag numerous awards and accolades too! The film is slated for a 21st December 2012 release in the US. No news as of yet on when it’s coming to our cinemas. Won’t be too long now!

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


The Return Of Liverpool Academy 2012

Courts, in partnership with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced the return of the Liverpool F.C International Academy (Liverpool Academy) to Malaysian shores.

A total of over 200 children, recruited from Courts stores and via FAM’s national training program will be able to gain a once in a lifetime chance to access the Reds legendary coaching programme that have birthed such prominent footballers like Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler to name a few.

The Liverpool Academy is open to all Malaysian children aged from as young as five years of age to 16 years. Children will be required to bring along their own football boots but will be given their very own Liverpool training kit comprising jersey, shorts, socks and their very own Liverpool F.C Special Edition Key Chain and Lanyard to take home along with a wealth of football tips and tricks.

The Liverpool Academy will take place from 3rd – 14th December 2012 at Prasada Plus Mini Stadium in Petaling Jaya led by Liverpool legend Ian Rush who will also made a surprise in-store appearance on 2nd December for fans and be on hand to mentor selected participants of the Academy.

Parents interested to enroll their football loving sons or daughters for the Liverpool Academy need only do so at one of eight nationwide recruitment road shows currently underway in Courts stores nationwide.

Upon qualification, participation is free with children being split into two categories – under 12s and under 16s and divided into three groups with pre-set training days. The recruitment roadshows which have taken place since late October will culminate in a final roll call for enrolment at Courts, Klang on 24 – 25 November.

For more information, visit Courts Malaysia’s website.

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#WorldStageMy: Where Music Unites People!

MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014 was one heck of a music party where both local and international musicians united to perform on stage at Sunway Surf Beach on 16th August. It was indeed a night to remember as B.o.B, Yuna, Boys Republic, and Thaitanium stepped on stage and rocked out in front of more than 10,000 fans.

Thai-American hip hop group, Thaitanium, who performed at MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014 for the first time, opened the night with an upbeat 11-track medley. During an exclusive press conference, the group mentioned that they considered themselves as first-timer performers at MTV World Stage. Following the release of their latest single “Wake Up (Bangkok City)” with Snoop Dogg, the group stated that there were a few songs that they haven’t perform anywhere else, including a new single called “Sukebe” that will be released this October in Japan. They set the crowd’s energy level through some of their older songs including “Do What I Say”, “Bong Tong”, and “Put Your Hands Up”.

The group also talked about the difference between Thai hip hop scene and American hip hop scene as well as the inspiration behind their album. On top of that, they even commented, “Snoop Dogg is like a God!” when they were asked about their working process with the American rapper.

When we asked them about the artistes they’d want to collaborate with in the future, Thaitanium said:

Anybody who wants to collaborate with us. We make music every day so umm..first of all, like it’s easier to say, it’s easier to do, or maybe it’s not easy to do. But here, we shut us out from the money and think like, “Would you to collaborate with us?” It’s kind of like, we like to vibe out in our studio, let it happen organically. With somebody like Snoop Dogg, it happened organically. We just got into the studio and he was listening to some music and then he just started recording. You know, bascially it’s the vibe. Most importantly, it’s hard to work with somebody who have no idea about, like personally or artistically. So you kind of of have to like, being in the same room, and feel each other (not in that way *laughs*). If we could vibe and get to know each other first, then the collaboration could happen.

As Thaitanium has previously collaborated with our homegrown rapper Joe Flizzow for the song “Do It Big”, the group also said that they’d collaborate with him again as “they are in the same family.” They also said, “Whenever a collaboration is about to happen, it’s always good. Actually we spoke to him last night about something new. We are always speaking, so yeah maybe we will collaborate with him in next 10 years?”

Our very own beautiful homegrown talent Yuna kicked off her performance with “Falling“ as she elevated elegantly onto the stage at MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014. During the press conference, the singer talked a little about her thoughts on being a breakthrough artiste:

I try not to think about it so much because it could get to your head. I tried to remember why I first started, making music, like 7 or 8 years ago. I was just a 20-year-old law student, writing music for myself and I always take myself back to the spot whenever I go out to perform for all these people, or making music for a huge family. I think it’s important to always stay true to yourself and not forget why you’re here in the first place. Because it’s your love for music, or should I say, my love for music. Sometimes you tend to forget about something as simple as that but it should all come back to the basic. I’m blessed to be here and I still can’t believe that I get this crazy opportunity to travel, to perform, to go on tour. It’s nice.

It has been a while since Yuna performed in Malaysia but she said it’s always fun to come back to perform. As expected, the crowd gave a warm welcome to their home girl when the singer performed soulful, intoxicating renditions on stage, including “Mountains”,“Lelaki” and “Dan Sebanarya”, “Lights And Camera”, and “Terukir Di Bintang”. Before she wrapped up her set with the magical performance of “Come Back”, she showcased her talent in playing the ukulele while she performed her hit song, “Rescue”.

Before Yuna performed on stage, Universal Music’s first K-Pop boy group made their MTV World Stage debut with a bang as they kicked off their performance with “You Are Special”. Not only are they talented in singing and dancing, the boys serenaded the audience with their charm that sent fans into a screaming frenzy.

During the performance of Boy Republic’s remix of “Video Game”, 15-second mobile phone clips that were posted on Instagram with the #worldstagemyfancam were featured on the screens. A lucky fangirl, who was chosen to become their “girlfriennd” was unveiled during the performance for “Dress Up” as well, leaving the audience screaming with jealousy. Towards the end of their set, the group once again hyped up the crowd with the fan favourite, “Party Rock”.

American rapper B.o.B returned to Malaysia to with an electrifying performance for the audience at MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014. The audience threw their hands up in the air and bobbed their heads to the rapper’s tracks like “Don’t Let Me Fall”, “Ready ft. Future”, “Headband ft. 2 Chainz”, “John Doe ft. Priscilla”, and “So Good”. In fact, the audience was spotted singing along to his hit single “Magic” and some of them even managed to exchange high fives with the rapper himself.

But perhaps the most memorable moment of the night was when a beautiful “silver ocean” was formed as the audience waved their mobile phones to a soulful performance of “Both of Us” ft. Taylor Swift.

Then, in honour of the lost lives in recent plane tragedies, B.o.B paid a tribute while performing his global hit song “Airplanes” ft. Hayley Williams of Paramore. Before he wrapped up his set with “Still In This”, B.o.B brought the house down as he went crowd surfing. With over 1,000 multi-coloured LED balloons thrown into the audience, MTV World Stage Malaysia Insider Aric Teng made his debut on-stage and ended it with a blast!

Check out the gallery below for official pictures from MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014!

Missed the show? Don’t worry! MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia 2014 has been recorded live for global telecast and it will premiere on August 20th (Wednesday) at 8:30pm with a repeat at 12am. For other locations, viewers are advised to check local listings to catch all the artistes’ performances!

(Photo Credits: MTV Asia, Lucas Lau, Aloyrius Lim & Kristian Dowling)

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#F1: Malaysia To Pull Out Of Race, No More F1 Races After 2018

Following the news that Singapore may not renew its Formula One (F1) contract, it has now been confirmed that Malaysia will stop hosting the race in Sepang after its current agreement expires in 2018.

This was confirmed by Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz yesterday (Monday, 21st November 2016).

The decision was made due to poor ticket sales and the costliness of hosting the race. This year’s race also saw the lowest race-day TV viewing figures in the event’s history. “I don’t think there is anywhere in the world the number of spectators for F1 has increased,” Nazri was quoted as saying.

“The current agreement is from 2016 to 2018. So once that ends, there will be no more (F1 in Malaysia). F1 attendance is dropping and there is less attraction now. We are spending RM300 million a year (for the race),” Nazri added.

The race at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit (SIC) was the first Southeast Asian race on the calendar. It has been a fixture on the F1 calendar every year since 1999 and is Asia’s second-oldest next to the Japanese Grand Prix, which dates back to 1976.

Alas, competition from neighbouring countries, such as Singapore’s Grand Prix aka F1 Night Race, has seriously affected the Malaysian GP’s figures. This is despite efforts to boost the Malaysian leg of the race with various events and star-studded performances e.g. SNSD Girls’ Generation, SHINee, Usher, etc.

Last month, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin took to his Twitter to express his thoughts on taking a temporary break from hosting F1, citing high costs and limited returns.

I think we should stop hosting the F1. At least for a while. Cost too high, returns limited. https://t.co/1XQxuS2CO5

— Khairy Jamaluddin 🇲🇾🌺 (@Khairykj) October 24, 2016

When we first hosted the F1 it was a big deal. First in Asia outside Japan. Now so many venues. No first mover advantage. Not a novelty.

F1 ticket sales declining, TV viewership down. Foreign visitors down b/c can choose Singapore, China, Middle East. Returns are not as big.

By contrast, Malaysia’s MotoGP, which is also hosted at SIC, is consistently popular and this year’s race was sold out. Sepang agreed last month to extend the MotoGP until at least 2021.

Is anyone else bummed out that Malaysia will no longer host “the world’s hottest race”? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Sources: motorsport.com, CNA, NST, Khairy KJ.


Meet Cheryl K, The Malaysian-born Singer For Crazy Rich Asians’ Theme Song

“Crazy Rich Asians” didn’t just launched Henry Golding in Hollywood, it also featured another fellow Malaysian on an international platform for the first time. Her name is Cheryl Koh (or Cheryl K).

The KL-born singer and songwriter, who is now based in Los Angeles, first submitted her audition tape in February last year. Little did she knew that she’ll be singing the opening and closing song of “Crazy Rich Asians“.

The cover track that Cheryl is featured on is titled “Money (That’s What I Want)”. The 22-year-old from Shah Alam said, “‘Money’ talks about how badly you want and need money, despite having everything else. It’s actually a very old Motown song by Barrett Strong, written by Janie Bradford and Berry Gordy Jr and has since been popularised by The Beatles and Bruno Mars.”

So what’s the biggest difference between the new version versus the 1959 track? “The version I sing is written in Mandarin and English, which makes it special to Asian audiences,” she explained. In case you didn’t know, Awkwafina also raps on the song!

“Awkwafina recorded her rap separately from me because she was in New York at the time for ‘Oceans 8’. I only got to finally meet her in person during one of the photo shoots. Jon (the director) was so fun to work with in the recording studio! He gave me a lot of pointers and tips. I remember him saying, ‘Cheryl, I want you to growl as much as you can and sing with your greatest energy because I want people to feel like they want to jump out of their seats during the Opening of the movie’,” Cheryl told Female Mag.

“It has always been on my bucket list to hear my voice in a film and see my name scroll up during the end credits – never would I imagine it would come so soon. I’ve never been more proud to be Asian and sing in two languages with such soul,” Cheryl was quoted as saying.

“Crazy Rich Asians” debuts in Malaysian cinemas 22nd August 2018.

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Fun Facts: Get To Know The Characters & Voice Cast Of Disney’s “Moana”

From the creators of “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin” – Ron Clements and John Musker – comes Disney’s highly-anticipated 3D computer-animated musical film, “Moana”. The new coming-of-age tale follows a tenacious 16-year-old teenager on a life-affirming quest across the ocean.

“3 thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one knows why. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes ‘Moana’, a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the mighty demigod Maui, who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder.

“Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.”

The eclectic combination of human folk, animals, and legendary characters is something fans have come to expect from Disney. In 2012, directors Clements and Musker travelled to Fiji, Samoa, as well as Tahiti to get acquainted with the local folks there and learn about their culture.

The result: the creation of Moana and her family members (Gramma Tala, parents Chief Tui and Sina), demigod Maui, the Kakamora, Moana’s pig Pua, Heihei the rooster, and the 50-foot crab Tamatoa. “We are so thankful to have found such extraordinary people who not only capture the voices of these characters, they elevate them in every way,” shared Clements.

Moana means ocean in Hawaiian and Maori, while Auli’i, the young actress who voiced the titular character, means dainty or cute in Hawaiian. “It’s ‘ow,’ like you stubbed your toe, ‘lee,’ like Bruce Lee, and then another ‘ee’,” explained Carvalho when she was asked how to pronounce her name.

Besides being the youngest actress to ever voice a Disney princess, the 15-year-old Hawaiian beauty also has the heart to match her character, Moana.

“Throughout her journey and the movie, she further realises she’s an amazing individual and she doesn’t have to be anybody else. I personally feel like I’ve kind of blossomed into who I’m meant to be, and I love this journey that I’m on. Each Disney princess is unique in their own way, but Moana is especially close to my heart because she’s Polynesian,” she told Tech Insider.

Maui is a half god, half mortal, and basically all awesomeness rolled into one. As a demigod, Maui is responsible for most of the good things that have been bestowed to mankind.

Created using several versions of mythology from Hawaii, Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, French Polynesia, and New Zealand, Maui is covered with tattoos from head to toe (which was hand drawn as part of an ancient tradition).

Since he’s a mythical creature, this demigod possesses various unique abilities. He can morph into several animals and has superhero-like physicality; plus his tattoos are also alive.

3. Chief Tui & Sina (voiced by Temuera Morrison & Nicole Scherzinger respectively)

Meet Moana’s parents: Chief Tui and Sina.

Tui is a well-respected leader of the people of Motunui Island, and can be overprotective of his daughter. Because of his past bitter experience, he doesn’t understand Moana’s obsession in wanting to explore the ocean and would rather have his people remain safe at home.

To quote Allanah Faherty, Tui is actually the name of a bird endemic to New Zealand which is known for being “raucous and noisy”, which could be a good indication of the type of character Chief Tui is.

On the other hand, Sina is more empathetic towards Moana and understands her concerns and desires to be on the water. Director Ron Clements describes Sina as someone who is “very warm and supportive of her daughter, but she’s trying to negotiate the difference between Moana and her father and be this peacemaker.”

While Chief Tui tries to discourage Moana from her sea adventures, Gramma Tala is obviously the one who encourages it, seeing as the 2 share a special connection to the ocean. In contrast to her son Tui’s no-nonsense behaviour, Tala dances to the beat of her own drum.

While Tui is concerned with keeping his people safe, director Ron Musker shares that Tala is the character who sees the wider picture and bigger challenges facing the tribe. “So she really helps propel Moana on her journey to solve these things,” he adds.

Don’t let these adorable-looking coconut monsters fool you. The Kakamora are “an intense team of crazy, coconut-armoured pirates who will stop at nothing to get what they want”. In fact, Musker revealed that these mischievous coconuts will be the first obstacle in Moana and Maui’s way during their journey.

6. The animal sidekicks: Tamatoa (voiced by Jemaine Clement), Heihei (voiced by Alan Tudyk), & Pua

Enough of the humans and let’s get into the animal sidekicks in “Moana”. First up is Tamatoa, a 50-foot crab who lives in the realm of monsters, also known as Lalotai. As a comical villain, Tamatoa (whose name means brave/champion boy in Maori) has a bone to pick with Maui and is desperate to be reunited with Maui’s magical fish hook. Legend has it that Maui’s fish hook was made from his grandmother’s jawbone.

Next up is the stupid rooster, Heihei (which means chicken or fowl). This village idiot will serve as the quirky sidekick when he accidentally stumbles on Moana’s outrigger canoe and unintentionally ends up on her epic journey.

Last but not least is the adorable Pua. Described as “Moana’s loyal pet pig with puppy energy and an innocent puppy brain”, you can tell by his posture in the promo image that this cute animal is going to win everyone’s affection by being, well, cute.

P/s: This pig is also our favourite character thus far ;)

“Moana” will be sailing into cinemas on 23rd November 2016.

Sources: Tech Insider, Oh My Disney, Cinema Blend, Movie Pilot, Nerdist.

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#DWP16: Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) 2016 Returns 9th & 10th December

Save the date. Indonesia’s biggest dance music festival is coming back on 9th and 10th December 2016!

The annual Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) has been dancing its way into the hearts of partygoers since its inception in 2008. Attracting dance music lovers from around the globe, the festival features impressive international and regional electronic artistes/DJs and VJs in one-of-a-kind dramatic décor, completed with the best quality production of sound and lighting, surrounded by a massive epic crowd.

DWP is really a story of a success by accident. Promoter Ismaya Group faced a dilemma back in 2008 when a mafia fight involving as many as 65 people broke out at one of their event venues (Blowfish Bar), leaving 1 dead and 2 seriously injured. As the fight damaged the venue, Ismaya had to quickly work on a contingency plan because they had already booked the artistes for their upcoming event.

In 12 days, Ismaya created an outdoor festival production, changed the marketing, informed the ticket buyers, and communicated with the sponsors. The event became the first DWP and drew about 2,000 people.

In 2014, the festival drew 70,000 partygoers, the first year that it was a 2-day event. Last year’s DWP drew an estimated 75,000 attendees, generating USD2.9 million in revenue. The event saw headliners Tiesto, Kaskade, Major Lazer, Armin van Buuren, Galantis, Andrew Rayel, Jack U, Axwell ^ Ingrosso, Porter Robinson, and more, drawing 31 international DJs (65 in total).

Meanwhile, more information for this year’s DWP (#DWP16) e.g. line-up, ticketing, will be released in the coming months so keep checking back with us for more updates :)

We’ll leave you now with the official aftermovie from last year’s DWP. Enjoy:

For more information, hit up their website or Facebook page.


Justin Bieber YouTube Interview

You’ve seen him grow up on camera, transforming from a talented little kid posting videos on YouTube into the star of his own documentary and a global pop phenomenon. Oh kids, they grow up so fast.

Now, Justin Bieber is ready to come back to where it all began for an exclusive Q&A with YouTube Presents, and he wants to answer your questions.

What have you always wanted to know about the Biebs? Starting today, and running until midnight ET on 20th June (21st June, 1pm Malaysian time), you (yes you, Belieber!) will have the chance to ask Justin Bieber all those burning questions. How?

Head on over here and pour your heart out – Justin will hear you:

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Then be ready to tune in here on 21st June at 7pm ET (22nd June, 8am Malaysian time) to watch the interview with none other than Jimmy Fallon, live!

“YouTube Presents” gives music fans an opportunity to get more into the music and artists they love with live performances and interviews at venues around the world. Check out recent performances and concerts with artists including:


Aussie Mag To Publish Kate’s Bikini Pics Too

Australian magazine “Woman’s Day” has bought the rights to photographs of a pregnant Kate Middleton in a bikini despite knowing that the royal family are furious over photographs of their Duke and Duchess being published overseas. More specifically, Italian magazine “Chi” were the first to publish the pictures. St. James Palace were quick to slam them, saying that by doing so was a clear breach of privacy.

However, Fiona Connolly (Woman’s Day editor) said she had no qualms about running the photographs. In fact, she expressed the following:

It wasn’t a hard decision to run these photos. She is on a public beach and she was mingling with holiday makers. There are other holiday makers in the photos. It’s a very different situation to the nude photos, there is no photographer hiding in the bushes and she is not inside a private villa.

The British have a great deal more sensitivity to royals than we do here in Oz. Aussies are a lot more laid back and when it comes to the beach and our readers will see these as something we do in do in everyday life. We see these sort of photos every day.

Kate looks amazing and fit and fabulous, she looks so much better than the poorly and sickly woman we saw coming out of hospital which make these photos more of a celebration. Everyone but the UK has or will publish these pics. The British press has collectively made a deal with the palace (but a) gentleman’s agreement over there doesn’t affect us over here.

Fiona has refused to reveal how much Woman’s Day had paid for pictures of Kate Middleton in a bikini sporting a baby bump.

And in her defense, she also said that her readers are going to “love” the photos and that she doesn’t expect any backlash from her decision to publish them.

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Colbie Tells Us What “Christmas In The Sand” Is Like

Ever wondered what it’s like to celebrate Christmas on an island with cool breeze in your face and your toes buried in the sand? Colbie Caillat takes you there. With four original songs and a handful of other Christmas classic remakes that you know by heart, this album is loaded with all the “warm and fuzzy” you’d need for the year end.

If you liked Colbie’s musical style in her debut hit, “Bubbly”, you’d love her satiny tropical interpretation of Christmas with her title track, “Christmas in the Sand”:

[youtube id=”RtSu3woTKM” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Colbie herself was quoted saying that “Christmas in the Sand” is the defining song for the record. We got to admit though that it sounds like festivities right out of Hawaii. And as the lyrics would suggest, the surfer babe loves Christmas in the snow but Christmas in the sand, oh man, she’ll tell you that’s where it’s at.

We also love her renditions of “Santa Baby” and “The Christmas Song“, simply because it’s some of our Christmas favourites – only done better. Besides, what’s there not to love when it’s laced with Colbie’s vocals? Right?

The other original song that we highly recommend you to check out is “Merry Christmas Baby“, which was recorded with fellow American singer-songwriter, Brad Paisley. Who is this Brad we speak of, you ask? Think, country rock.

Ah! So that explains the groovy vibes in this one:

[youtube id=”CJEHr3XVoaQ” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Yes, we know, it doesn’t sound anything like Christmas. But it sure does make us want to get up and dance. In a bar, in a pub, in a random diner somewhere suburban and maybe a little quaint – you get the picture. The magic in the production of this song was the fact that Colbie and Brad recording their parts separately and then only meeting for the first time after it was all over and done with at the Country Music Awards (CMA) 2012.

Also, you can’t fault the super adorable lyrics:

Now listen, Santa came down the chimney,

With lots of little presents for my baby and me.

And feel just like I’m livin’, livin’ in paradise.

Of course, in true Colbie tradition, she goes on to prove that releasing a Christmas album doesn’t necessarily mean that she’ll take a break from her slightly more melancholic style of writing just yet. Previously, we heard “Mistletoe” online (via digital download) and we’re glad that it’s getting its official release!

“Mistletoe” was originally recorded in 2007 but for “Christmas in the Sand”, it was re-recorded by Colbie’s father, Ken Caillat and subsequently re-released:

[youtube id=”R5MlW5aOeHY” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Colbie Caillat’s “Christmas in the Sand” is now available at a music store near you. Alternatively, you could also purchase the album via iTunes here. For more information, hit up Colbie Caillat’s official website or send her all your lovin’ via her Twitter account.

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#Malaysia: Apparently, Malacca Has Moved – To Somewhere Above Terengganu

Well, that’s a blooper that a school textbook shouldn’t be making!

Apparently, an image of “Negeri-negeri yang membentuk Malaysia” (Translation: “States which form Malaysia”) is making its rounds on the interwebs and for all the wrong reasons. First posted up by the Sayangi Melaka Facebook page, the erroneous map was discovered in a Year Six History textbook meant for use in national schools next year.

As seen in the image above, Malacca has magically moved on the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia, somewhere above Terengganu. This has been highlighted by netizens, with many taking turns to take jabs at it e.g. “Melaka pindah”, “Kesian Melaka”, “Kenape pindah tak bawak pokok-pokok sekali?”.

The Ministry of Education has since responded to the history book blooper. According to The Star Online, Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan confirmed that the ministry was aware of the error and was taking steps to rectify it.

“The affected books are meant for Year Six pupils studying History in national schools in 2016. The History books for the Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools are not affected,” he said.

As for the affected books that had already been distributed to schools, P. Kamalanathan said that those will be returned to the ministry.

Well, we most certainly hope so, and we also hope that Malacca would be returned to its original position! We almost wanted to add this “groundbreaking” piece of news to this post of ours.


#StarWars Spin-Off: Diego Luna In Talks To Star In #RogueOne

Best known for his roles in “Book of Life” and “Elysium“, popular Mexican actor Diego Luna is reportedly in talks to star in “Star Wars: Rogue One“, the first movie in the “Star Wars Anthology” series.

According to Variety, if Luna jumps aboard the production, he will be starring in a lead role as a rebel soldier alongside Felicity Jones. However, Lucasfilm and Disney did not comment on the casting when contacted by Variety.

Riz Ahmed and Sam Claflin will also be starring in the spin-off movie alongside Ben Mendelsohn, who is set to play the film’s main antagonist.

At the recent Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim, the panel revealed a few details of the movie, including what the movie will be about.

A rogue band of resistance fighters unite for a mission to steal the Death Star plans and bring a new hope to the galaxy.

Gareth Edwards, director of the movie, said that “Star Wars: Rogue One” will take place after “Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith” but before “Star Wars IV: A New Hope”, and chronologically, it will be “closer to Episode IV.”

John Knoll, Simon Emanuel, and Jason McGatlin will be executive producing the movie while Kathleen Kennedy and Tony To will produce the movie.

“Star Wars: Rogue One” is scheduled for release on 16th December 2016.


K-pop Fans Campaigning To See BTS’ Jungkook As A Marvel Superhero

BTS’ Jungkook (정국) can literally do anything – the talented idol can sing and dance. Plus, he’s even showcased his impressive acting chops on several occasions.

And now, ARMYs (as fans are lovingly called) are rallying to see the “Golden Maknae (youngest member)” of the groundbreaking K-pop group to make his appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe!

look at the way Jungkook said “ THANOS” but quickly changes it in a snap “no no no iron man , iron man , iron man”. 🤣😂😬🐰#JUNGKOOK #정국 @BTS_twtpic.twitter.com/lAB4wxxb7x

— jungkook pics (@kookpicsjjk) May 11, 2019

As a lot of fans know, Jungkook is a big fan of the Marvel superhero Iron Man. In one of the group’s concerts, he was seen letting go of a Pooh plush toy to focus on an Iron Man figure. He also tweeted about the death of Robert Downey Jr.’s character on “Avengers: Endgame” on BTS’ official account.

Some also noted that the 24-year-old idol could play the next Spider-Man, to which they gave him the nickname SpideyKook. ARMYs may also remember when Jungkook revealed that he dreamt of being chased by a spider. It became such a hot topic among die-hard fans that ‘Jungkook Spiderman’ ended up trending online!

Meanwhile, other fans also posted edited photos and clips of Jungkook as Spider-Man and Captain America on social media, giving more reasons on why Marvel Studios should consider him soon. For those interested, check out some of the coolest fan edits here (as compiled by AllKpop):

#JUNGKOOK as Spider-Man pic.twitter.com/urYg5ezv2J

EVERYTHING GOES BACK TO SPIDEYKOOK pic.twitter.com/uuZXWJn2aO

— dev saw yoongi! (@chimsful) July 13, 2021

In addition, there are also plenty of ARMYs who have been dying to see Jungkook take on the role as Captain America. One fan even pointed out that Jungkook can be seen striking a pose similar to the character Captain America from the “Avengers: Endgame” poster in the recently released BTS x Coldplay collab teaser image.

As pointed out by many fans out there, Jungkook is a great actor with an amazing physique and looks. It also helps that he enjoys adventures and tackling on new challenges, in addition to being a die-hard follower of Marvel Studio’s movies. Therefore, it’s no surprise that ARMYs want Jungkook to act as one of the superheroes in the MCU.

jungkook in the coldplay picture reminds me of captain america in the endgame poster pic.twitter.com/B5E4oYjSYr

— seven by jungkook (@kkyukirby) September 13, 2021

@MarvelStudios I don't know, think about it. Jeon JungKook (@BTS_twt) as your future Spiderman. You'd smash the billboards and everything would be sold out in seconds.

— Vann | SEVEN by JK 🤟🏻 (@jinjimlvs) September 8, 2021

Okey we need to make this happen. Jungkook and spider man. Spideykook agenda is thriving😆. pic.twitter.com/OwbL047x0Q

— K is for kookie (@JKlover23566012) March 13, 2021

Dear Marvel Studios, if you’re reading this, please consider casting Jungkook as your next Marvel superhero.

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MAS’ “My Ultimate Bucket List” Campaign – Too Soon!

Malaysia Airlines (MAS), which is still reeling from the twin tragedies of MH370 and MH17, is pulling out all stops to win customers back. From great bargains and last minute deals, to running contests and giving away free flights. We don’t blame them – it has been a difficult year for our national carrier.

One such competition started on Monday and is open to those who book a MAS flight online until the end of the year. Wanna win free tickets from your nearest airport to “a destination in Malaysia to be determined by MAS”? Sure.

The only problem is, it’s part of their “My Ultimate Bucket List” campaign, where contestants had to explain, “What and where wold you like to tick off on your bucket list?”

See, the Merriam-Webster definition of bucket list is “a list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying” – which makes calling a Malaysia Airlines campaign as such pretty bizarre. We don’t deny that it’s awkward and maybe just a little too soon, but that is only if the figure of speech was taken literally. Let’s not forget the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of bucket list, which kinda explains what MAS intended to say:

Still, it has angered netizens and effectively turned into a branding/marketing/PR disaster.

Netizens, especially, have taken to social media platforms to call the official campaign name all kinds of bad, chiding MAS’ agency/agencies for letting it pass, while others just think that it’s awkward. Word about “My Ultimate Bucket List” also got out to international news portals, which added fuel to fire.

As such, the “My Ultimate Bucket List” campaign appears to have been withdrawn, with the original competition link now leading to a 404 error page. What’s left behind, however, is a PDF of the competition’s terms and conditions, which can still be found here.

A case of “with good intentions but just too soon” and perhaps just a wrong choice of words? We think so too.


#MesraCab: Malaysian Cabbies To Launch Their Own Taxi-Hailing App In Feb 2016

According to The Star Online, a new taxi-hailing application known as “MesraCab” is set to be launched in February 2016.

The mobile app, which was said to have “developed wholly by taxi drivers”, aims to counter the growth of popular ride-sharing appas such as Uber and GrabCar.

This report came almost 2 weeks after the Land Public Transport Commission’s (SPAD) introduced “MeterOn“, a mobile application which promises to “keep taxi journeys safe”.

Little is known about the people behind MesraCab, but the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Application Taxi Drivers Association (Pertapps) is apparently helping to push the development of the app. They have been working to get taxi drivers to register for the programme.

Pertapps is also the latest taxi driver association to protest against ride-sharing apps, with PERS1M and PETEKMA began protesting since 4 months ago. However, it doesn’t matter seem like the associations are linked to each other.

Pertapps secretary Apriman Darlis told The Star Online that only metered taxis that have been approved by SPAD will be used for the app.

He said this after over 100 taxi drivers showed up in Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara to register as the app’s drivers. However, those who turned up at the event were told to register with one of the 23 associations, supposedly for the Klang Valley Taxi Drivers Action Committee to better “regulate the industry”. Only then, would they be allowed to be MesraCab drivers.

Unlike other ride-sharing apps, MesraCab will apparently allow users to choose the cab they would want to travel in after seeing them on the map. In fact, a RM2 booking fee will be charged for a successful hail.

What do you think of this new taxi-hailing app? Would you use it? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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Henry Golding Criticised For Not Being Asian Enough For ‘Crazy Rich Asians’

British-Malaysian TV presenter Henry Golding had to deal with some backlash after landing the dream role of Nick Young in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, a major Hollywood studio production directed by Jon M. Chu for Warner Bros.

Many criticised the decision to cast Henry Golding as Nick Young, as Golding is of Malaysian, Singaporean and British descent and he grew up in England. People were expecting to see Nick Young played by someone who fully Asian, or Chinese – since Nick Young is a university professor who is originally from Singapore.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Henry Golding felt like the criticisms directed at him were quite hurtful.

“For me, it was almost like being kind of stabbed in the back. I was like, ‘Aren’t we meant to be in this boat together? Aren’t we meant to strive together for something bigger than these boundaries that we’re putting on ourselves instead of bullying each other?’”

“People were like, ‘This guy’s half-Asian, he’s half-white, he’s not even full Asian,’ and it comes to, like, how Asian do you have to be to be considered Asian?” he added.

“I’ve lived 16, 17 years of my life in Asia, and that’s most of my life. I was born in Asia, I’ve lived cultures that are synonymous with Asian culture, but it’s still not Asian enough for some people. Where are the boundaries? Where are the lines drawn for saying that you cannot play this character because you’re not fully Asian?”

“I live in Singapore, I’ve lived here for 6 years, so you think I’m less suitable than a Godfrey Gao or a Leehom Wang?” Golding said, referring to the 2 actors who fans were expecting to see as Nick Young. “I was chosen because I came as close to the character as possible.”

Director Jon M. Chu explained that the actor who plays Nick Young had to be a “charming, leading man” who would have to be able to sound educated from Oxford, and he must also have an English accent – and Henry Golding seemed to fit all of that criteria.

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ is set to hit cinemas on 17th of August, 2018.


3 Saltwater Pools In Malaysia For That Quality Relaxation

Napoleon Hill once said that, “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” As MCO 2.0 is now lifted and vaccination is currently undergoing, we are all hopeful and eagerly waiting for the day to be able to travel wherever we dream our bucket list to, or even for a short vacation just to get out of ‘cabin fever’! Even though travelling abroad is still not an option, we can still make the most of it locally with a staycation, especially when inter-state traveling is allowed!

Be it a hotel, retreat or even a resort, a staycation is just what you need to unwind and recharge with some me-time tranquillity, particularly when it involves the luxury of a swimming pool. Although we may not be able to sink our feet at an exotic beach, we are still blessed with tropical weather that allows us to be by the pool at all times, swimming us to relaxation. While this all sounds exciting, majority of swimming pool-goers do not actually realise that chlorine tablets from the pool posed its challenges to the human body, especially on the hair, eyes and skin – which is why the option of Saltwater pools have become quite a distinguished feature in itself instead of the traditional chlorine tablet-based pools.

As chlorine is still the globally-approved sanitiser when it comes to swimming pools, chlorine is needed in order to certify as safe for human usage. Saltwater pools are somewhat similar to the usual swimming pools in which that saltwater pools do produce chlorine; however, this chlorine derives from the salt itself which makes it more natural as compared to the normal chlorinated pool, where it gets its chlorine from chlorine tablets. To ensure that it is a pure chlorinated saltwater pool, a salt chlorinator is utilised to convert salt into chlorine gas which will then dissolve into the water and becomes the chlorine that we know. With this chlorine being 100% natural, saltwater pools are gentler to our skin, eyes and hair (yay!) and has now become a trend of preference for those with asthma for healthy breathing or allergies, as salt water is softer to the skin.

Because of the revitalising benefits it brings, some hotels, resorts and even homeowners have opted for saltwater pools over chlorine tablet-based pools thanks to the skin-friendly factors and its natural ability to help one soothe their body while in the pool. Fun fact: the type of salt being used for the pool is imperative as well to maintain the water chemistry and remain clean with soothing properties for your skin! For example, Mineral Crystal is a form of Magnesium salt that not only improves pool water with a blend of naturally occurring minerals, but it also moisturises your skin when you’re in the pool.

To get some of those revitalising benefits while also have an inspiring staycation of your own, here are some Saltwater pool options located around Klang Valley for your consideration to visit!

If you are residing within the city and in need of a quick getaway without the hassle of traveling long-distance, the sophisticated Four Seasons Hotel is right up your alley – a sanctuary right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur to consider for a divine splash that your soul needs. Located at Jalan Ampang, this luxurious hotel has one of the most outstanding saltwater pools and a stunning view of the illustrious Petronas Twin Tower to boot – making it the most Instagram-worthy image with the right pampering session. With a saltwater pool like the Four Seasons, stress will immediately leave the body, escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and let the saltwater do its natural healing thing – relaxation is now on point!

After soaking up on all the natural goodness, let your eyes see more of the natural light and glow of the sunset, this will put a zenful end to your day!

If your ideal me-time starts with retail shopping at your favourite brands, indulging in your favourite international cuisines at your own leisure time, ending with a much-needed relaxing dip in a pool, a staycation at The Gardens Hotel is just what you need! Located right in the middle of Mid Valley City, The Gardens Hotel is the perfect venue for anyone who wants to take a break to catch-up on all their favourite activities without having to worry about parking, as the hotel is just right in the mall itself!
With all that shopping and feasting, a comfortable and relaxing dip in the pool is the perfect cure to rest your feet from all the sores of walking. Apart from the fact that this hotel pool is a saltwater pool (the smell of chlorine begone if you’re sensitive to it!), you do not have to worry about kids disturbing the peace too much, as The Gardens Hotel has both an adult pool and a kids pool. To add a cherry on top, the pool is also an infinity-sized pool, which means you can enjoy every quadrant of the pool without having to worry about swimming to another’s lane. If you are in the mood, you can also do a couple of laps before calling it a day!

It goes without saying that children love pools! However, it is difficult to leave them alone in it as there are a myriad of things that may go wrong: kids accidentally swallowing the chlorinated chemicals, losing their goggles as they swim causing their eyes to be red, or even being stuck at the deep end! As parents, is it natural that your mind will always wonder to them, leaving yourself to not have the luxury of time at the pool.

This magnificent hotel in Jalan Sultan Ismail with a 1.2m -1.4m depth adult pool and 0.6m depth kids pool would be the ideal getaway for the family! Like all saltwater pools, your mind can be at ease knowing your kids will not hurt their eyes in the water nor have their skin react poorly towards the chemicals. Additionally, you can be certain that your children will enjoy themselves as the kids pool has eight water jets for the younglings to maximise their imaginations.

While kids are all smiles and giggles, this is the perfect time for parents to chill in the adult pool and catch up on much-needed alone time with one another. Should the kids get hungry after all that playing, they can easily dine at the poolside bar while you watch from a comfy distance inside the pool.

Whether it is a fun time with the family or alone, these are just several Saltwater pool options you can explore in Klang Valley. Although MCO has been lifted and pools are allowed to operate again, there are still hesitance among all whether it’s safe or hygienic to even dip your toes in the pool. Rest assured, most hotel and resort pools are equally concerned for the safety of their guests – ensuring that it’s well-maintained and kept with the SOPs before allowing anyone in the pool, while also adopting efficient products from proven established sources to continuously filter and clean the water.

For example, most of the hotels mentioned here actually installed an energy-saving filtration and sanitisation system by Waterco Malaysia, leading one-stop solution provider for safe and healthy water Environment Company and the only filtration company that obtained the Climate Care Certification. These filters and sanitisation system are important to preserve the cleanliness of the water, while balancing out the pH level of the salt and chlorine to keep the pool clean, safe and hygienic as you swim.

With these selections of saltwater pools in Klang Valley that are perfect for your own getaway, there’s no excuse not to book one of these attractive hotels just to have a relaxing soak in it after a hard day of work!

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#HupSeng: Viral Video Claims Cream Crackers Contain Plastic; Company Responds With Lab Report

Last week, Facebook page 喜怒哀乐 Emo-Ji shared a video of a man burning a cracker with a lighter in an attempt to prove that it contained plastic and was not safe for consumption.

The man, whose face was not shown throughout the entire video but can be heard speaking in a Chinese dialect, lit up a couple of Hup Seng’s “Ping Pong Special Cream Crackers” with a cigarette lighter and watched as the crackers burned. As the crackers charred and appeared to be melting, he then claimed that they could contain or is laced with synthetic material.

The 1-minute 45-second long video has since garnered over 1 million views and 46,671 shares. Hup Seng’s “Ping Pong Special Cream Crackers” are one of the most popular brands of cream crackers in the market so it didn’t take long for the video to trigger a food scare alert.

However, several netizens were quick to call the man out for his video.

One netizen said, “Why don’t you burn your shirt to test if it has plastic? Or your tissue paper to test for plastic? You can sue the tissue paper factory for deceiving you and that you have wiped your ass with plastic all these years.” while another commented, “Anything that is dried and contain oil will burn. Unless they have scientific analysis.”

Biscuits and crackers manufacturer Hup Seng then took to their Facebook page to respond to the “plastic crackers” claims.

In their official statement, Hup Seng said:

“With regards to the case of burning biscuits, we would like to share that it is the characteristic of flour and/or oil related food products that they will combust or burn. However, this ability to combust has no direct correlation or effect on food safety. Our Hup Seng Ping Pong Special Cream Crackers are safe for consumption. In 2011, we submitted our Hup Seng Ping Pong Special Cream Crackers for lab test on plasticizers and obtained proof that plasticizers were not detected. Recently, we have sent our Special Cream Crackers for lab test on plasticizers again and we will announce the results as soon as we obtain them.respond to the ridiculous claims and calm the unfounded fears of consumers over the ‘the case of burning biscuits’.”

The company also added that the video clip, made by disreputable and hostile individuals, was intended to tarnish the company’s product image and reputation.

On Monday (1st August), Hup Seng followed up with a lab report which detailed that the burning characteristic of the “Ping Pong Special Cream Crackers” had no direct correlation with the safety of food consumption.

“For your cream cracker, due to its low moisture, air pocket in your product aided by the edible oil, it is very natural that it can be burnt,” a lab expert was quoted as saying.

Case closed, guys. Y’all may go back to enjoying your Hup Seng “Ping Pong Special Cream Crackers” now ;)


#Apple: Meet The #iPhone6Plus & The #AppleWatch

This morning’s Apple launch was many things – exciting, expected, yet surprising all at the same time. In case you missed it, Apple unleashed a few massive Apple-nesses to move up the ranks as the world’s trendsetter in technology once again.

What was expected was the next chapter to the iPhone. The iPhone 6 will now boast a larger screen, catching up to the large screen trend (read: phablet) that is currently dominated by Apple’s main rival, Samsung. In fact, this is probably the largest an iPhone 6 screen has ever been at 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. Yes, there are 2 sizes because we’re talking about 2 iPhones!

The Jimmy Lin leak in June already hinted that there would be 2 iPhones launch this time around but at that time, we didn’t know for sure what they were going to be called yet. As such, following the official announcement last night, we now know that the 4.7-inch iPhone will be called the “iPhone 6” and the 5.5-inch iPhone will be called the “iPhone 6 Plus”.

Truth be told, stretching the screens’ sizes is probably one of the best things Apple has ever done with its smartphones. We applaud the move!

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the iPhone 6 is “the biggest advancement in the history of iPhones”. Not only will it come with larger screens and provide users another reason to be completely attached to the smartphone to the point of quite possibly needing surgical removal, it’s also stunning! The iPhone 6 comes with polarised glass displays and bodies that are thinner than ever before.

But the iPhone 6 Plus stands out because while it shares the same internal specs as the iPhone 6, it has a higher resolution of 1920×1080, leading to a pixel-density of 401 ppi (pixels per inch). The iPhone 6 Plus also comes with a 64-bit A8 processor (“50 times faster” and “84 times faster” compared to the original iPhone processor) and a new camera sensor. That, and it also comes with an optical image stabilisation feature, one up from iPhone 6’s digital stabilisation feature. It’s Apple’s own personal record.

Pricing will start at USD199 for the iPhone 6 for US customers on a 2-year contract and USD299 for the iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 Plus will be available in 3 colours – gold, space gray, and silver. The devices will be available on 19th September in these countries:

And in at least 115 countries by the end of the year!

The launch this morning also saw the official introduction to Apple’s other new dazzling gadget, the tech giant’s first smartwatch aka the one people were previously calling the iWatch. Meet the Apple Watch, a sleekly designed wrist device that links to the iPhone! According to Tim Cook, Apple has been working on the Apple Watch for a long time, and didn’t just shrink the iPhone and strap it to the wrist.

Said to be Apple’s most personal advice ever, the touch-screen Apple Watch will pair with the iPhones and allow users to view messages and app on the wrist. Scrolling, zooming, and navigating on the Apple Watch will also be a breeze as the device uses a “digital crown”.

The Apple Watch has sensors that can detect a wearer’s pulse and hence, has pulse tracking capabilities to promote fit lifestyles! The apps that come with it include a map software that guide people to destination with gentle “taps” on the wrist. Other programmers will even allow its user to check into flights, unlock hotel room doors, and even controlling home lighting or temperature. The watch comes in 2 sizes and an array of choices of interchangeable, fashionable wrist strap and will work with the iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C models and newer.

Apple watch will start at US$349 when it is released early next year.

Apple Pay – Apple Pay will be built into the new iPhones with a near field connection (NFC) antenna that allows users to tap their phones at retailers. Apple Pay supports credit and debit cards from American Express, MasterCard and Visa, issued by many of the largest US banks. Retailers that will support Apple Pay include Disney, Macy’s, McDonald’s, Sephora, Staples, Subway, Walgreens and Whole Foods Market, some 220,000 retail locations. Apple Watch will also work on the system. Apple Pay will debut in the US market in October, and Apple hopes to expand to other markets. The new payment system will be built into the new iPhones and the upgraded Apple’s operating system called iOS 8.

IOS 8 – Apple’s mobile operating system iOS 8 which has been in the works for some time will be made available on 17th September. The new platform is a free software update for iPhones and iPads and will support features such as Apple’s Health app that monitors health and fitness, and the HomeKit for home automation. With HomeKit, users can say “good morning,” and have the lights turned on in specific rooms, the thermostat adjusted and the garage door opened, for example. The software will have improved security, faster messaging and a new virtual keyboard.

Free U2 Album –  In a surprise announcement at the California event, the Irish band U2 was present and released its first album in 5 years free on Apple’s iTunes. The album features 11 new songs from the band and will be free on the iTunes Store in 119 countries for the next 5 weeks. “Songs of Innocence” instantly became the largest album release in history, with Apple announcing it had been sent out for free to half a billion iTunes customers.

For more information, visit Apple’s official website.

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5 Reasons Why You Should Catch The Third Murder In Cinemas [And Premiere Screening Passes Giveaway]

Hirokazu Koreeda’s Japanese film, “The Third Murder”, is making international waves right now in the critics’ circle (yes, Japan does produce interesting live-action films too; it’s not all Naruto and tentacle porn). But most of you might be wondering, wtf is this movie even about and why should I bother watching it?

Hold my non-existent beer and let me explain. Here are 5 reasons why you should catch “The Third Murder” in cinemas.

The trailer is riveting. It grabs your attention without giving anything away, a rarity these days. “The Third Murder” is a courtroom drama that centres around a man, who (presumedly) has killed in the past. But does he deserve the death penalty? Perhaps the situation isn’t as black and white as it may have initially seemed.

This premise is interesting in and of itself, but more so in a time where there are growing calls in Japan to abolish capital punishment. “The Third Murder” could have been a blatant, obnoxious PSA, but it seems like director Hirokazu Koreeda has crafted something special here. Perhaps this could turn out to be one of the most thought-provoking films of the year.

Just like Korean director, Bong Joon-ho, Japanese writer-director Hirokazu Kore-eda is an underrated gem in the film industry. The man has a track record of directing one brilliant film after another, especially in recent years with films like “Still Walking” and “Like Father, Like Son”. “Like Father, Like Son” in particular was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and even went on to win the Jury Prize.

And for those of you who do not know nor care about fancy-schmancy film festival terms, allow me to translate.

‘Nominated for Palme d’Or’ means the film is batshit crazy awesome.
‘Win Jury Prize’ means the film gave everybody high octane orgasms.

Hirokazu Kore-eda is a talented director and there is no doubt “The Third Murder” will be another one of his brilliant films.

Kôji Yakusho, who plays the lead character, Misumi in this film, is one of Japan’s most talented actors working today. Some of his finest works  He has so many accolades under his name, it’s actually a daunting task to count it all. So, I’m just round it off to a bazillion.

Yakusho has also already won two awards for his work on “The Third Murder”. It’s possible that this could potentially be his finest work to date.

While the Malaysian press screening of “The Third Murder” will be held next week, there are many renowned International websites that have already reviewed this movie including The Hollywood Reporter and The Guardian, both of which have sung praises about this movie.

Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian says “The Third Murder is a captivating puzzle,” while Deborah Young from The Hollywood Reporter claims that “The Third Murder” is a “complex and engrossing examination of truth.”

And for those of you Rotten Tomatoes junkies, “The Third Murder” has a whopping 94% on the Tomatometer.

Amidst the giant Hollywood blockbusters like “Star Wars”, comic book movies, “Fast and the Furious”, etc. it’s easy for smaller Asian films to get lost in the shuffle. But believe it or not, there are plenty of GREAT Asian films out there. But besides the occasional “Train to Busan”, most of these films go unnoticed, especially among the liberal, English speaking Malaysia crowd.

“Oldboy” is universally lauded and many consider it to be a classic. Guess what? It’s a Korean film. “Okja” is one of the better films of 2017 and it’s a Korean film. “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” is also one of best of 2017 and it’s a Tamil movie. There are also plenty of Japanese movies like “The Wind Rises” and “Blade of the Immortal” that are bloody awesome. We NEED to seek out these movies and support them.

“The Third Murder” could be one of the better films of 2017. You do not want to miss it!

We have preview screening passes to give away!

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#GE13: Malaysian Sends Petition To The White House

Filed under Foreign Policy, Human Rights, Labor, a Malaysian has sent in a petition to the White House, seeking urgent attention regarding “democracy crisis in Malaysia”. The concern, as stated in the petition, is primarily focused on foreign workers that were employed for fraud voting in the 13th Malaysian general election.

Created on 4th May 2013 (Saturday), the petition has raked in 127,002 signatures as of time of writing. Here it is in full:

We are the concerned citizens of Malaysia, and hereby we are writing you a letter, which we need your attention urgently and international solidarity supports.

The regime of Malaysia’s National Coalition Front (Barisan Nasional), had bribed to the official recruitment agency of Bangladesh, to allow a huge number of Bangladeshi workers (estimated about 600,000 people) deported from their homeland to Malaysia for such despicable and non democratic action.

We are hereby requesting ladies and gentlemen to provide solidarity supports and necessary assistances for us, to ensure the election can be conducted in clean and fair manners. For more information and evidence, here is the news link: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-967755.

Do you agree or disagree with the above? Drop us your comments or if you feel like you need to, sign the petition. We’ll leave it up to you guys to decide!


#Vans: Step Into Happily Ever After With New Disney Princess Collection

This summer, Vans brings the magic of fairytales to your wardrobe by showcasing beloved Disney Princess characters across Vans Classic footwear and Women’s Apparel and Accessories. There’s no denying the fact that Disney Princess characters have touched the hearts and minds of generations and now, Vans has teamed up with Disney to bring another fantastical collection to life.

Introducing a five-piece offering of footwear alongside an assortment of apparel and accessories, the latest collection features some of the most loved favourite princesses: Ariel, Belle, Jasmine and an all over princess print. Ariel surfaces in an under the sea motif across tees, a crew sweater, accessories and the Authentic. Belle, the ultimate bookworm, is caught amongst a flourish of red roses wearing her iconic yellow ball gown on the Classic Slip-On.

On a second Authentic, a deep ultramarine-coloured 2 Lot 691, Kompleks Hamodal 5, Jalan Lagoon Selatan Off Jalan Kewajipan, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan pattern enhances Jasmine in various regal poses on the magic carpet alongside Genie’s lamp. As a tribute to all the charmed ladies, a repeat-collage was created to highlight all the timeless princess characters to include Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty across the Authentic and Sk8-Hi Slim, along with a selection of tees, hats, backpacks.

Princesses of all ages can enjoy this royal collection as kids and toddler sizes will also be available in select styles. The Disney and Vans Princess collection retails from RM159-RM369 and is available now at Vans retail stores. Check out the gallery below for more pictures from the collection.

For more information, visit Vans Malaysia on Facebook and Instragram.


Aliff Syukri To Drop New Song With Malaysia’s No. 1 Female Singer Next Month?

This is huge, guys! Cosmetics entrepreneur Dato’ Seri Aliff Syukri has revealed that he will be dropping new music sometime soon. This will mark his comeback following his controversial single “Kelepok Raya” which was released back in April.

Last night (Tuesday, 26th July), Aliff shared an image of himself in a recording studio. But it isn’t just the photo that caught the attention of netizens. It’s the caption! He revealed that he will be releasing a duet with the “Number 1 female singer” in Malaysia!

“My new song will be dropped in about a month’s time. Is there anyone here who is excited to hear the new song from the Number 1 singer in Malaysia? What genre do you want me to perform? As for my duet partner, she must be Malaysia’s number 1 female singer. Am I right?” the D’Herbs owner shared in his caption.

If you recall, Aliff made his appearance on the show “Hard To Heart” last month, where he proclaimed himself as the number 1 male singer in the country. During the chat with the local TV host, he even compared himself to the singing legend, Dato’ Seri Siti Nurhaliza, before adding that he’s earned the title as one of the top vocalists in Malaysia.

That being said, many netizens didn’t react too kindly to Aliff’s posting. While some criticised the 35-year-old for not learning from his previous controversies, others also poked fun at the glaring spelling error in his caption (he misspelled the word genre as “gender”). Read some of the comments here:

So far, Aliff has yet to provide deets on who his future duet partner is. Any guesses, guys?

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IKEA Meatballs Bounces Back Into The Menu!

To all meatball lovers, the wait is over. Previously, food inspectors in the Czech Republic discovered horse meat DNA in 2.2-pound packs of frozen meatballs labeled as beef and pork and sold under the name Köttbullar aka the popular Swedish meatballs from IKEA.

Today, IKEA Malaysia, announces that the meatballs will be back at the IKEA Restaurant and Swedish Food Market at the IKEA Malaysia store from tomorrow, 8th March 2013 (Friday). This comes after the release of DNA results by a local independent lab that gave a resounding “neigh” to horsemeat, reaffirming that the meatballs sold locally contain only beef. The meatballs are halal certified and produced locally in Malaysia.

To celebrate its return, for one day only on 8th March, IKEA Malaysia will be rolling out the meatballs for 20sen a piece, giving customers another reason to trot into the store for the iconic dish. Okay then. We definitely know where we’ll be headed for lunch tomorrow. You guys coming or what?

For more information, visit IKEA Malaysia’s Facebook page.


Netizens Expose Local Author For Plagiarising Online Articles For His Book

Social media was abuzz after a netizen went on to rant about a new book because it was a hard read, despite the fact that it was written by a prolific author.

Ever since the tweet went viral, another netizen found out that certain paragraphs from the book was plagiarised directly from online articles without any credits given.

Before the revelation, one Twitter user, who goes by the handle @dieyanayuni, made a long Twitter thread on how she “felt like cussing on every page” while reading the book she borrowed from the library. She accompanied her claims with pictures of the book’s questionable content, proving that she wasn’t crying wolf.

The book was filled with outright mistakes and she believed that certain sentences from the book were “copy-pasted” directly from Google Translate. According to her tweet, the worst mistake was that there were three pages repeating the same paragraph continuously – with the sentences awkwardly phrased.

Not long after her thread went viral, another user took it to his Twitter, @WehNakBacaApaNi, revealing that he had found the articles where the author had plagiarised from. One of the websites where the text was copied from is WikiHow, which is famously known for its how-to-guides.

By comparing the texts from the book and the sites where it was allegedly copied from, the similarities are indubitable. When we take a look at it ourselves, it does seem like the texts were directly translated to Bahasa Malaysia to be published in the book.

Normally, book publications would have editors to check the content of the book before publishing it. However, this book was self-published, which explains how it got into the market.

According to a local portal, the author threatened to pursue legal action against the owner of the previous thread for defaming him and his works. Nevertheless, she insisted that she had the right to criticise the author as a reader. She also added, no credit was given to the original websites nor was there any reference list.

If the claims are true, this author has definitely run out of luck as the viral Twitter thread also shows another book of his that also had texts copied from websites.


NAMA Scores Judges’ Pick, Enters Asia’s Got Talent Finals

Malaysian girl group NAMA has made our country proud by going into the grand finals of “Asia’s Got Talent” Season 3.

The girls will be joining fellow Malaysian contestant Yaashwin Sarawanan, known as the “Human Calculator” in the grand finals show at Marina Bay Sands.

The Malaysian representatives will be competing against 5 other contestants – Siti
Saniyah (Indonesia), MANIAC Family (Taiwan), Shadow Ace (Philippines), JUNIOR GOOD VIBES (Philippines), and Eric Chien (Taiwan) – to stand a chance to win USD100,000.

Made up of Nur Fazrina (28), Noor Syamimi (24), Norfazira (24) and Nur Farahida (24), NAMA said that they didn’t expect that they would get this far into the competition, but it was always their goal.

“Malaysians have never made it to the finals, so we really want to make our country proud,” said group leader Fazrina. NAMA performed Fleur East’s “Sax” at the last Semi-Final round. Their performance received standing ovation as well as the last Judges’ Pick.

“There is no one like you, there is no group like you. We need somebody like you to represent that type of Modern Muslim, the ones who are feminine and strong, to give another angle of our beautiful religion,” Anggun commented.

The seven remaining acts of the night will be up for voting, and the two acts with the most votes after the voting period closes will head to the Grand Finals. The voting period starts from now until Sunday at 11:59pm.

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#EXO: Tao Sets Up Personal Studio In China; SM Entertainment Responds

What exactly happened between EXO‘s Tao and SM Entertainment remains unclear, but it was recently confirmed that the former has set up a personal studio for his future solo activities in China.

On 11th June, a new Weibo account, which claimed to be the official account for Tao’s personal studio, was established.

Hi everyone! This is Huang Zitao (Z.TAO)’s official studio. In the future, Tao’s news and activities will be announced and updated here. The account is currently in the process of being verified. We welcome everyone to follow us.

Not much later, Tao’s father re-shared the post and wrote, “#Huang Zitao# Huang Zitao’s official studio has been established today! Everyone is welcomed to follow”.

Tao indirectly confirmed the report regarding his personal studio by quietly following the official account on Weibo.

In response to the report regarding Tao’s personal studio, a representative of SM Entertainment revealed in a statement:

We know about the news of Tao’s personal studio. Currently, we are still discussing the direction of Tao’s career. We are also currently discussing his Chinese activities with him and his dad. We hope to discover more possibilities for Tao’s career through these discussions.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Tao is currently residing in the United States to study and to receive treatment for his injuries. Though various Chinese media outlets reported that he had already terminated his contract with SM Entertainment, the company has so far only confirmed that there has been an ongoing dispute with Tao.

Since Tao was not involved in the recording of EXO’s latest repackaged album, he did not promote the song, “Love Me Right” with the rest of the group members either. He did make several individual appearances outside of the group activities, including an event for his solo endorsement deal in China.


Durian Pizza, Anyone?

Durians are becoming more popular in China, especially among the affluent middle-class with an appetite for the exotic. Regarded by many in Southeast Asia as the king of fruits, the durian is well known for its pungent smell.

You may have heard of durian being used in desserts and cakes. But the king of fruits served on a pizza?

This unusual dish is the main draw of Blue & Brown, a cafe in downtown Shanghai. Since opening in September 2012, the outlet has been selling an average of 70 durian pizzas each day!

How exactly is it made, you ask? It’s made from imported frozen durian from Thailand, cheese, and a secret sauce! The pizza has been especially a hit with Chinese students and young executives. According to customers of Blue & Brown, the thick layer of cheese on top masks the strong taste of the exotic fruit that’s known for its pungent smell. They also added that although durians and pizzas are originally unrelated, the durian pizza has turned out to be quite “wonderful”.


Learn To Whip Up Ayam Brand Dishes With Aishah Sinclair & Will Quah!

Growing up, moving out and moving away from home to further one’s studies, to pursue career opportunities or to set up one’s own family is a rite of passage but many of us are unprepared especially when it comes to moving to another country.

Ayam Brand™, famed for its wide range of healthy and convenient, preservative-free canned products, has captured some of the culinary challenges faced by young people heading overseas through a humorous and lighthearted webseries.

Directed by acclaimed local writer, director, producer, editor, actor and musician, Khairil M. Bahar, the 12 webpisode series “The Student – 12 Days to Save Her Little Bro” stars Aishah Sinclair as Sarah the capable elder sister of the culinarily inept Will played by actor Will Quah, who will be leaving to study overseas in 12 days.  Sarah’s mission is to equip her younger brother with simple cooking skills and quick culinary solutions from Ayam Brand so that he will not be homesick for Malaysian food while he is away.

The 12 webpisodes begin with the basics of “Nasi Lemak” and “Nasi Goreng” before exploring other Malaysian favorites, some fusion cooking and a couple of Western dishes too.

For Ayam Brand™, “The Student – 12 Days To Save Her Little Bro” is another innovative and creative approach to promoting recipes to more consumers especially those who look for their infotainment online. Catch “The Student – 12 Days To Save Her Little Bro” at Ayam Brand™ official Facebook page and gain culinary independence through healthier diet choices with Ayam Brand™ .

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6 Reasons To Check Out Of Hotels & Go Airbnb, Baby!

Been planning a vacation for months but can seem to finance it? No worries, we’ve got something that might help.

We’re all dreaming of our next vacation. Few things can compare to the excitement of organising a trip to a new location, and now more than ever, tourists have a plethora of lodging options thanks to the growth of hotels and airbnb. But which should you pick?

Hotels are perhaps the most popular type of lodging for most travellers. Yes, hotels offer great locations, a hassle-free lifestyle, and easy access to assistance. However, you will likely spend more on lodging and meals. If you’re looking to spend less, but reap a bunch of similar benefits, try airbnb. airbnb has taken over the travel industry – and we’ve listed a bunch of reasons why you should ditch hotels and pick airbnb for your next vacation stay.

Going on a trip as a family, group of friends, or as a couple? Airbnb lets you book a full unit. Instead of paying for multiple hotel rooms, you can all remain together while still getting the solitude you require. Plus, you can be or do whatever you like, because the whole space is yours!

The fact that an airbnb stay is typically less expensive than a hotel room is another clear benefit of choosing the former. And everyone understands how crucial it is to save money, especially when booking a trip! These days, hotel rates have been rising gradually, and some are even charging more than RM300 per night. Yikes!

Nevertheless, with airbnb, you can find lodgings at a more reasonable cost. What a significant difference! However, not only is the accommodation itself less expensive, but the cost of services offered, such as laundry and other facilities, are affordable too. Yet in addition to being more reasonably priced, airbnb has some other benefits over conventional hotels.

The pricey and inefficient Wi-Fi at hotels is a typical criticism. But this is the least of your worries when staying at an airbnb. In addition to being inexpensive, airbnb stays also offer reliable Wi-Fi connection. So, renting an airbnb for business or holiday will greatly simplify your life. Additionally, the majority of airbnb stays offer supplementary services like extension cables, AppleTV, Netflix, and other wonderful entertainment alternatives.

airbnb is a home away from home. No matter how hard a hotel tries to make the bland rooms with the grey painted walls pleasant and homely, it will always have the hotel scent and artificial vibe. But with airbnb, you’ll often experience a comfortable, homely vibe and feel at home. Not to mention that most airbnb hosts will try their best to make the ambience feel truly like home.

Some airbnbs come with a communal kitchen, washing facilities, and areas where you can relax and do your own activities, like browse the internet or read a book. By preparing your own meals, doing your own washing, adjusting your schedule, and engaging in social activities, you tend to become more independent. It’s a place where you can truly unleash your potential and break out of your shell. Also, doing things on your own during your stay can strengthen the bond between loved ones and keep you from feeling bored.

It makes perfect sense why some people might feel uneasy about renting an airbnb property from a stranger. Yet with the following features, airbnb today performs a terrific job reducing risk and safety worries:


KL Sinkhole Memes (You Can’t Pretend You Didn’t See This One Coming)

The major thoroughfare serving the city’s bustling Golden Triangle was cut off this morning after a burst water pipe caused a section of it to collapse. The mid-morning incident happened along a 19-metre stretch at the busy Jalan Pudu-Jalan Imbi-Jalan Hang Tuah intersection, ending with a 10-metre deep sinkhole just 20 metres from the elevated KL Monorail track near the Imbi station.

A Fire and Rescue Department official said the culprit was a burst water pipe maintained by water concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas), but no casualties were reported in the incident. Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department assistant Director Azizan Ismail said in a brief media statement:

The management of the MRT project has requested that Monorail services from the Hang Tuah station to Imbi station be suspended immediately. This has been reported to Monorail, Syabas and DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall) officials for their action.

In an immediate response to the incident, MRT Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) stressed that the road collapse had nothing to do with the project as the alignment of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang line does not pass the location.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s “aspiring designers” got busy with whatever pictures of the sinkhole that they could get their hands own. Within hours of the incident, parody images quickly mushroomed all over the interwebs, making it this month’s funniest Malaysian meme. Such as the one where Optimus Prime (fresh out of “Transformers: Age of Extinction“) is looking all, “I got this!”:

Or maybe, this right here was the real reason why Optimus Prime was spotted hanging out around the sinkhole area?

This has to be the cutest of them all; a giant mole poking its nose out from beneath the ground.

Aww. We’d totally hug you if you were so, uh, giant.

Check out this gallery for more funny sinkhole memes and if you have any that you’d like to send in, feel free to do so:

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“The Flash” Movie: Is Dylan O’Brien Replacing Ezra Miller?

Allegations of assault has been plaguing Ezra Miller as Warner Bros is now considering replacing him with another actor. The DCEU star made his debut as Barry Allen or The Flash in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” back in 2016. He was expected to be appearing in future DCEU films as The Flash.

List of actors who are in consideration of replacing Ezra Miller is still in the dark, but word on the street has it that Dylan O’Brien is in the running. Fans, of course have also their own favourite in mind; Grant Gustin, The Flash for The CW’s “Arrowverse”.

Grant Gustin has been playing the part as The Flash character itself since 2014. Although he is a natural choice, it would complicate things to move Grant Gustin from the small screen (“Arrowverse”) to the big screen for DCEU.

To cast someone new like Dylan O’Brien to replace Ezra Miller as The Flash might be a good move too. O’Brien is not a new name in the industry, and is known for his work in the supernatural teen drama “Teen Wolf” as Stiles Stilinski between 2011 and 2017. He recently starred in “All Too Well: The Short Film” directed by Taylor Swift alongside Sadie Sink.

While the change remains unknown to all, fans will have to wait until they hear the official confirmation from Warner Bros.


#SuicideSquad: New High-Res Images Introduce The Task Force X

Empire Magazine (via CBM) has given us a better look at the anti-heroes from Warner Bros’ upcoming “Suicide Squad” movie through a slew of high-res images.

The cast members also opened up about playing their respective characters through their interviews with Empire Magazine.

“Robocop” star Joel Kinnaman was quoted saying that his character Rick Flag is “the highest-level operator working for the government”.

He’s had lots of friends die and has killed many, many people… Deadshot gives him the most problems. Harley is easily distracted, but up for following orders if it means destroying things.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is portraying Killer Croc in the film and he described his character as “a cannibal with rage issues”. But he explained, “Although he only eats the most talented people. He’s picky.”

Jay Hernandez also opened up about his character Diablo in the pages. “Most of these guys are happy to get out there and kill people, but he just wants to stay out of the fight,” he said.

“Terminator: Genisys” actor Jai Courtney is starring in this movie as Captain Boomerang, whom he described to be “an absolute bogan, in the purest sense“.

Dave’s first instruction was “Find your inner s**tbag.”

Adam Beach and Karen Fukuhara are playing Slipknot and Katana respectively.

Beach told Empire Magazine that his character is a “formidable” character who “can climb anything” and “hands people for a living”. “I joke that he was caught strangling Wonder Woman,” Beach added.

As for Katana, Fukuhara said, “She has morals and codes. She can also slice through hundreds of people without taking a breath.”

After releasing the covers that featured Jared Leto‘s The Joker and Cara Delevingne‘s Enchantress, Empire Magazine released another set of covers featuring Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.

Speaking with Empire about Deadshot, Smith said, “On Bad Boys I trained in Miami with special-ops guys, but this is a whole other level.” He further hinted at a possible love interest for his character in the film and how it served as a potentially dangerous love triangle between himself, Harley, and the Joker.

Deadshot’s actually eyeballing (Harley) a little bit. There’s a pretty ragged romantic triangle there.

Robbie also briefly spoke to Empire about her character’s unique aesthetic and fashion for the film.

When I got the role I started looking up Harley costumes online, with my mum sitting next to me, she was like, “My daughter is going to dress like a prostitute!”

“There are a lot of angry mothers out there!” she added.

Based on the original DC Comic of the same name, “Suicide Squad” centres on a group of supervillains who find themselves going on a most unlikely mission for a shot at redemption. However, the mission will probably kill them all.

Charles Roven and Richard Suckle producing the film, which will be executive produced by Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson, and Geoff Johns. Ayer is directing it based on based on Justin Marks’ screenplay.

Slated for release on 5th August 2016, it also stars Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman, Cara Delevingne, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Common, Jim Parrack, Adam Beach, Ike Barinholtz, and Viola Davis.

Sources: Empire Magazine via Coming Soon and CBM.

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#Legend: First Teaser Trailer Features Tom Hardy As The Kray Twins

No, there’s absolutely no way you can stop “The Dark Knight Rises” star Tom Hardy from ruling the year of 2015 because the actor already has 5 film roles under his belt.

Make it 6, actually, because Hardy is set to portray the infamous Kray twins in an upcoming London crime thriller film, “Legend”.

Directed and written by Brian Helgeland, “Legend” is produced by Cross Creek Pictures and Working Title. The movie marks Helgeland’s return to adapted screenplays in the genre of crime since the release of 1997’s “L.A. Confidential”.

It is based on “The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins”, a “true crime” biography written by John Pearson. The book is an account of the rise and fall of the Kray twins, who hired the author to write their biography back in 1967. Their story was then adapted into a movie in 1990, which was directed by Peter Medak.

In this new movie adaptation, the story will follow Reggie Kray, who seeks to control the psychotic tendencies of his twin, Ronnie. Hardy, who can be currently seen in “Child 44” , is starring in it as both Reggie and Ronnie. Emily Browning, Colin Morgan, David Thewlis, Christopher Eccleston, Chazz Palminteri, Tara Fitzgerald, and “Kingsman” star Taron Egerton also joined the cast, but no further information regarding their roles were revealed.

Check out its official teaser trailer released by Studiocanal UK below:

Hardy will be seen next in “Mad Max: Fury Road“, “London Road”, and “The Revenant”.

“Legends” is slated for release in the UK on 11th September.

For more updates, visit the movie’s official Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram.


Fun Facts: 10 Actors Who Played Multiple Roles In The Same Film

Let’s face it, some actors are just too darn talented that they deserve more than just 1 role in a movie. There are those who do it quite obvious – playing both male and female characters – and others who do it subtly.

So we’ve collected some of our favourite double appearances in movie history. This list also includes actors who have played more than 2 parts. Whether it is one character in disguise or one playing multiple-personality characters or twins, here are our top 10 favourites in no particular order.

Before Lindsay Lohan spiralled out of control and became a tabloid queen, she was the cutest 12-year-old ever in “The Parent Trap”. She effortlessly played twins who became separated at birth and raised by each of their biological parent. Fate brought them together at a summer camp and they spend the rest of the movie trying to reconnect their parents. “The Parent Trap” was Lohan’s 1st movie.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, this masterpiece follows 2 rival magicians who spend their careers trying to out-perform the other. When both men – Alfred Borden (portrayed by Christian Bale and Robert Angier (played by Hugh Jackman) – decide to use doubles in their illusion performance, things take a turn for the worst. While Angier opts for a drunken lookalike named Root, Borden chooses to go with his right hand man, who is actually his own twin.

To quote New York Times, who doesn’t love a good-twin/bad-twin story? Or in the case of “Leaves of Grass”, a straight-twin/stoned-twin story? Bill is an Ivy League philosophy professor, while Brady grows pot in home in Oklahoma. After being tricked into thinking that his brother has been murdered, Bill returns to Oklahoma only to find himself in the middle of Brady’s hot mess.

The self-righteous Winklevoss twins – Cameron and Tyler – are known for claiming that Mark Zuckerburg stole their idea for Facebook during their college days. But in the movie, Armie Hammer portrays both of the brothers with the help of body double Josh Pence. They were sent to a “twin boot camp” for 10 months to learn each other’s subtle movements and mannerisms. It clearly paid off because the dialogue between those 2 characters were tied throughout “The Social Network”.

“Jack and Jill” was heavily slammed by critics for its poor cinematography and sloppy humour. Still, this comedy has provided us with a few good one liners. Jack’s life is perfect – he has a gorgeous wife and 2 adorable kids. However, his life is turned upside down when his annoying, clueless twin sister called Jill shows up during Thanksgiving.

Based on the epic novel by David Mitchell, “Cloud Atlas” covers 6 different stories, spanning 500 years, in which the core actors take on multiple roles. For example, Tom Hanks – who seems to appear the most throughout the film – portrays everything from a scientist to a doctor to an actual murderer. They are all separated yet connected – drawing the motif that all humans are essentially the same.

In her 2nd Coen brothers film, Tilda Swinton plays rival identical twin gossip columnists in “Hail, Caesar!”. Thora and Thessaly Thacker are relentless journalists, who are each threatening to publish competing stories exposing various scandals about Baird Whitlock (played by George Clooney) as their latest Hollywood scoop. From the fashion choices to the accents and mannerisms, the Oscar winner captured the spirit of her characters and made it look effortless.

What happens when Woody Harrelson meet Woody Harrelson? Double doses of magic! Although Chase and Merritt are twins, they are some obvious differences. Chase has perfect teeth, perfect hair, and a weird tan. On the other hand, Merritt is more subdue. “Woody was able to come up with a different character that has in many ways the same charm as Merritt does, but in a very different way and coming at it from a different angle,” producer Bobby Cohen said.

James McAvoy masterfully plays a kidnapper with multiple personalities in M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller, “Split”. At forefront is Kevin, but his other personalities can buoy themselves to the surface. For example, Dennis is a self-loathing neat freak; Patricia reminds us of Dolores Umbridge; Hedwig is a 9-year-old kid who loves dancing to Kanye West; and fashion designer Barry who dislikes snoods. It was truly impressive to watch McAvoy’s dynamic range as an actor – going back and forth between emotions and comportments.

When Gru discovers that he has a long-lost twin brother named Dru, he brings his family to visit Dru in the rural island country of Freedonia. Dru is, essentially, the opposite of Gru – everything from his vivacious personality to his fashion sense, and of course, his flowing blonde hair. If you thought the Minions were annoying, wait till you meet Dru.

Out of all these performances, which are some of your favourites? For us, it’s a tie between #1, #2, and #9.

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