Kuala Lumpur’s First Drive-In Cinema To Launch Very Soon

Keen on watching movies on a big screen but scared of the potential spread of Covid-19? Perhaps the next best thing is a drive-in cinema.

It was announced last week that Malaysia’s first drive-in cinema, called M-Junction, will be debuting very soon. How soon you asked? According to our source, the launch will take place either at the end of this month or in August.

A new drive-in cinema recently opened in Bangkok, Thailand where a cooling system (with a network of plastic pipes) was installed at the parking lot to combat the tropical heat. That way, movie-goers can enjoy the movie within the confines of their vehicles without having to turn on their engines.

Although cinemas in Malaysia have officially been allowed to open, many local movie-goers still aren’t confident about the limited seating and regular disinfections. People in Thailand were willing to fork out a fee for the drive-in cinema experience that came with popcorn and soft drinks. Many felt that it is a safer option.

Get ready movie lovers! M-Junction’s drive-in cinema will debut on 28th July 2020. It will be located at the Lanai parking lot beside MaTiC along Jalan Ampang.

Only 50 vehicles will be allowed into the venue per session – at 7:30pm and 9pm respectively. Vehicles without Aux ports or bluetooth functions will get to borrow bluetooth speakers.

Brought to you by TwoSpicy Entertainment Live, the same folks behind Dinner In The Sky Malaysia, Plane In The City, and Whimsy, we can confirm that M-Junction will debut in two different locations. One of which will be in Kuala Lumpur.

Want to be one of the first to be notified? Drop your email here.


(UPDATE) #Sarawak: Chopper Carrying VIPs Missing; Fire & Rescue Dept Continues Search In Sebuyau

It was reported that a helicopter carrying 6 people including several VIPs from Betong to Kuching, Sarawak went missing Thursday evening (5th May).

Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Seri Muhammad Sabtu Osman stated that the Eurocopter AS350 departed on Thursday from Betong at 4:12pm and radar contact was lost at 4:32pm, 20 minutes after take-off. He also added that the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) confirmed that there was no proof of the helicopter being discovered, urging concerned citizens to not believe in rumours.

The 6 passengers onboard the Eurocopter AS350 include:

According to NST, the chopper’s last known location is Sebuyau, a wide, swampy, crocodile-infested river close to the sea and a team search and rescue operation has been mounted since last night.

Muhammad Sabtu Osman said that there are 100 personnel from the Marine Police, Fire and Rescue Department, Police, General Operations Force and Civil Defence Department involved in the operation.

Take a look at the timeline for more detailed information:

The search started again this morning at 6:26am in Sebuyau ferry docks. The Fire and Rescue Department team is covering a 10km radius starting from the sea. As of now, 24 rescuers and 3 boats have been deployed to course over the search area.

“We will conduct our search from the sea, Batang Lupar river, to areas in Linggi. Other than that, we will also scout for potential areas like Batang Sadong where the helicopter might have gone missing,” said Operations chief Azman Julaihi.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers onboard and we hope that the helicopter will be found soon.

The Star reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that the debris, believed to be from the missing AS350 helicopter, was found near Batang Lupar at 9:50am.

The debris consists of a rotor blade, a floatation device, part of a helicopter wall, a door, and a seat.

Check out photos from the rescue site below:

Also, according to Bernama and BOMBA’s latest tweet, an unidentified body was found near the location where the helicopter parts was found at 12pm.

#Helicopter: Body found at noon near location of discovery of helicopter parts at Batang Lupar river – Sarawak Fire & Rescue Dept

OPS SAR HELIKOPTER HILANG : mangsa pertama 1W telah ditemui tidak jauh dari lokasi serpihan dijumpai 12 tghri #BOMBA pic.twitter.com/81E6SsGgbx

— Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (@bombaJBPM) May 6, 2016

According to The Star, the final victim, Captain Rudolph Rex Ragas, is still missing. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) confirmed that the captain is of Philippine registry.

The search and rescue operation searching the waters of Batang Lupar is still ongoing. The operation includes a team of 29 SAR members and 9 boats.

As of Sunday (8th May), the bodies of the 5 Malaysian victims from the ill-fated helicopter crash have been recovered: Datuk Noriah Kasnon, Asmuni Abdullah, Datuk Dr. Sundaran Annamala, Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, and Ahmad Sobri Harun.

It was reported that the bodies of Datuk Noriah and her husband Asmuni Abdullah were buried next to each other at the Batu 12 Sungai Burong Muslim cemetery while Datuk Wan Mohammad was laid to rest at Kuala Kangsar. In Subang Jaya, friends and families paid their last respect to Datuk Dr. Sundaran at his home in USJ 2.

This tragedy took away the lives of some the country’s most prominent leaders – Datuk Noriah and Datuk Wan Mohammad were members of the parliament, while Datuk Dr. Sundaran was an important leader shaping the Indian community.

Our most sincere thoughts are with the families of the deceased and we hope the body of the final victim, Captain Rudolph, can be recovered as soon as possible.

Sources: The Star (1), The Star (2), The Star (3).

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Goodbye Grindelwald! Johnny Depp Drops Out Of “Fantastic Beasts”

Johnny Depp recently lost his libel case against The Sun, after the British publication had accused the renowned actor of being a “wife beater” in a coverage regarding his abuse towards ex-wfe Amber Heard.

And just as the world already knew that the consequences of losing this case were soon to come, Depp recently revealed that he had been asked to resign from the cast of the movie “Fantastic Beasts”.

This “Harry Potter” spinoff is currently filming its third movie, and Depp was to reprise the character Gellert Grindelwald. However, while the series has plans to create another two movies as well, the award winning actor shared a post on Instagram revealing that Warner Bros. had unfortunately asked him to resign from the production.

Depp’s typewritten message on Instagram began with the statement, “In light of recent events, I would like to make the following short statement.”

The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star then went on to explain the reason behind why he decided to leave the cast of “Fantastic Beasts”.

“I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in ‘Fantastic Beasts’ and I have respected and agreed to that request,” stated the Hollywood A-lister.

“The surreal judgement of the court in the U.K. will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal,”  added Depp. “My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false. My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time.”

The 57-year-old actor also thanked everyone who expressed their love and support towards him during these trying times. It is, without a doubt, a heartbreaking time for fans all around the world to see one of their favourite actors being taken off screen.

Depp’s talents have brought immense joy, love and entertainment towards all those who have watched him play some of the best roles in the history of film. We await the results of the appealed case and hope there will be a just outcome.


#FruitNinja: Live-Action Movie In The Works; J.P. Lavin & Chad Damiani To Pen Script

Following the announcement of “Tetris The Movie”, Halfbrick Studio’s popular mobile game, “Fruit Ninja”, is also being made into a movie.

According to an exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter, the upcoming film will be written by scriptwriter duo, J.P. Lavin and Chad Damiani.

Lavin and Damiani are known for writing the black-list script for Chuck Sambuchino’s fictional survival guide, “How To Survive A Garden Gnome Attack”. The mobile game-turned-movie will be produced by Tripp Vinson and his production company, Vinson Films, in partnership with the game’s developer.

Although there is no indication of what the feature film will be about, The Hollywood Reporter stated that it will be a family-friendly live-action comedy that centres around “ninjas with an inexplicable vendetta against produce”.

So far, no casting details or a release date for “Fruit Ninja” have been confirmed yet.

Released on 21st April 2010, “Fruit Ninja” is a popular mobile video game created by Halfbrick Studio in Brisbane, Australia and it requires players to slice various pieces of fruit by swiping their finger across their phone’s touch screen.

The game is now available on multiple platforms such as iOS, Android, and Xbox. To date, the addictive fruit-slicing game has been downloaded over 1 billion times and it is the 2nd highest selling iOS game of all time.

This is not the first time that a video game is being made into a movie. Here are some upcoming video game-turned-movies that on our “must watch” list:

What do you about think the “Fruit Ninja” movie? Do you think that it will be a hit? Let us know in the comments below!

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Hype’s Now Playing: Justin Bieber – Heartbreaker

After teasing and making fans wait for a long time, the much awaited single Heartbreaker by Justin Bieber was released today as part of his Music Mondays promotion, where he will release a new song every week for ten weeks.

“It’s a song for people going through heartbreak—like I was when I wrote it. It means so much to me to be able to share what I was, and still am, going through with my fans. I’m very proud of this song and I hope it gives my fans some insight into my heart”, the song as described by the nineteen year old Canadian pop star.

Zach Galifianakis Tells It Like It Is To Justin Bieber


#EXO: New Songs Revealed During Concert; Include “Call Me Baby”, “El Dorado”, Etc

EXO-Ls once again impressed us with their research skills because it seems like their speculations about the rumoured title track for EXO’s comeback is real. Well, sort of.

EXO‘s fans previously claimed that EXO is set to make a comeback with producer Danja’s demo track for “Call Me Daddy”. The speculation came online after fans spotted that the group is included in the list of credits in the resume of MSA Agency’s creative directors and choreographers Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo.

EXO was expected to perform several new songs from the group’s upcoming album during their 2nd solo concert, “EXO Planet #2 – The EXO’luXion“. Produced by SM Entertainment‘s performance director and BeatBurger member Shim Jae Won, the concert takes over Seoul Olympic Park’s Gymnastics Stadium for 5 days, from 7th to 8th and from 13th to 15th. During the concert, the group performed all of their past hit singles and their never-before-heard tracks including “El Dorado” and “Call Me Daddy”.

The title track fueled a debate over whether it was called “Call Me Daddy” or “Call Me Baby” because most fans are claiming that they heard “Call Me Baby” instead.

They are not alone in the argument though. The title track was later confirmed by leader Suho.

On 8th March, a press conference was held for the concert and Suho announced that the title track is going to be called “Call Me Baby”. He said:

We want to show our all. We have already filmed our music video. Anticipation may drop if we show everything now, so we are planning to show about one minute of it [at the concert]. Today will be a concert that will allow us to show an even more improved EXO.

According to Korean media outlet Naver, the track list or EXO’s upcoming album is still incomplete, but the new songs that will be included in the album are “El Dorado”, “Playboy”, “My Answer”, “Exodus”, “Hurt”, “Promise”, “Full Moon”, and “Drop That”. SM Entertainment has yet to respond to the report but you can listen to the audio versions of their new songs in the videos below:

What do you think of their new songs so far? Do you like them?

Honestly, we can’t wait for them to release the full album already! :D

(Source: Soompi, Koreaboo / Featured image)


#TGVCinemas: Calling All Superfans For A Fun-Filled Event!

As the clock countdowns towards the opening of Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, TGV Cinemas is organising a bash dedicated to celebrate all things relating to our favourite superheroes (and supervillains too!).

They have lined up comic and toys displays and items for sales, cosplayers, best dressed competitions, opportunities for superheroes to show off their superpowers and so many more fun-filled activities for comic fans of all ages. Amongst the activites that you can expect are such as:

And of course, in conjunction with all these exciting activities, TGV Cinemas would like to invite you to join them for the bash ;)

Please RSVP here by 24th April 2015 as this will assist them in facilitating the preparation for the event. Alternatively, you could contact Regina Robin at 0125068854 (regina_robin@tgv.com.my) or Nandini Sundran at 0197141919 (nandini_sundran@tgv.com.my).

For more information, visit TGV Cinemas’ website.

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“Avengers: Age of Ultron” Stars Protective Over Pregnant Scarlett Johansson

29-year-old Scarlett Johansson is several months along in her pregnancy and already starting the show. Really show. The glowing actress previously kicked butt in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and will kick butt in “Lucy“. And she’s not about to stop for the upcoming “Avengers: Age of Ultron” because as the would say, the show must go on.

For the first time, Avengers’ “Black Widow” (her role) will be in mama-bear mode but she needs to be in a tight, leather suit. But how will they retain the superhero’s gunslinging hotness and ensure that Scarlett’s bump doesn’t show?

More importantly. how will she be able to jump, kick, and flip without endangering the bun in the oven?

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” writer-director Joss Whedon says, “We’re not avoiding any of the danger because the stuntwomen do the danger—as has always been the case. She’s very central to the movie and when we heard (about the pregnancy) we scheduled things around that. She’s not going to spend the whole movie carrying groceries. We didn’t trim any scenes. We’re like: We’ll make it work.”

Also, at least three stunt-double dopplegangers (about triple the normal number) are on hand to step in whenever the action gets too intense. They look remarkably like her at first glance, but the doubles each have a telltale pattern of dots on their faces—guides for visual effects artists to graft the real Johansson’s face onto their bodies.

However, we hear that even fellow Avengers are getting conned by how identical these stunt-doubles are to Scarlett.

“It’s always funny. You walk by, ‘Hey Scarlett, oh. Weird. You’re not Scarlett at all. Sorry.’ A lot of fake Scarletts around,” says Chris Evans, who worked with her closely on “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”.

“She’s just been great. It really hasn’t slowed us down at all. She’ll be running around, diving and jumping and doing these things and you’re like ‘She seems like she’s got this,” he adds.

Robert Downey Jr. aka Iron Man, on the other hand, is taking full advantage of the situation and says that Scarlett’s pregnancy has made the dysfunctional super-squad story feel a little more carefully planned  (perhaps with some handy VFX tricks?) and less gruelling for everybody. He jokes:

There’s the element of just God’s grace with Scarlett getting knocked up because that just civilised the whole thing right away. This is not going to be a massive grind. It’s not possible. We have to accommodate the latest news from headquarters, which is, “Oh my God, Scarlett Johansson is going to have a baby!’”

Even Mark Ruffalo aka Hulk has notably “softened” having experienced this “new setup”.

He says that the camera stops rolling and Scarlett is back to being Scarlett again, the Avengers castmates and crew carefully watches over her. “They’re very protective of her and they try not to put her in any difficult situations. She’s pregnant, and she’s showing, and everyone loves and cares for her, so…”

Aww. Right, Mark. Try not to “hulkrage” too much around her though!

Meanwhile, get a first look at “Avengers: Age of Ultron” here. Also, in the past week or so, Marvel has decided to make some changes to their other comic book characters. What, a female Thor? An African-American Captain America? And killing Wolverine?!

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” is scheduled for a May 2015 release. It will be released in Malaysia on 23rd April 2015.


Siti Hasmah Thanks M’sians For Gifts, Asks Them To Donate To Charities Instead

Following the historic win of Pakatan Harapan in the election 2 weeks ago, Tun Mahathir Muhammad and his family have been receiving an avalanche of well-wishes and gifts from grateful Malaysians.

While the family is thankful for the thoughts, Siti Hasmah has asked for Malaysians to make donations to charities instead.

In a Facebook posted by her daughter Marina Mahathir, the first lady of Malaysia explains that politicians under the Pakatan Harapan government are not allowed to receive gifts other than flowers and food. The overwhelming amount of gifts have also taken up a lot of space at their residence.

As such, Siti Hasmah asks for the rakyat’s understanding and requests for them to redirect their good thoughts to charities.

“Ever since the election win 2 weeks ago, she has received so many well wishes from so many of you, congratulating her and Dad. (…) However accompanying many of these congratulations are flowers, food and other gifts. She has asked me to request that there be no more gifts sent because one, the rule in the Pakatan Harapan government is that no politician is allowed to receive any gifts other than flowers or food, and 2, as modest as the gifts might be, they do take up a lot of space. (…) So she seeks your understanding to please not send anything for her, even though Raya is coming. Instead she requests that you please make donations to any charity of your choice. That would please her very much.”

Now that’s a first lady worthy of our respect ;)

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“Cocaine Bear” Review: True Story It Is Not But A Ridiculously Fun Ride It Is

The words “based on a true story” have never held much weight in Hollywood and “Cocaine Bear” is about as reverent with history as a toddler is with drywall. In reality, nothing much transpired beyond the mildly amusing story of a bear consuming some cocaine and eventually expiring. No one was maimed in gory ultra-violence and there certainly wasn’t a circus of colourful personalities in the mix. Still, the premise of a black bear going on a murderous coke bender in the woods is novel enough to provide director Elizabeth Banks with a blank canvas on which she paints her bloody tale of man versus doped-up nature.

So, does “Cocaine Bear” have enough meat on its bones to justify a trip to the theatre? Or does it run through its supply too quickly? Let’s find out!

Due to the actual 1985 story of Cocaine Bear, also known as Pablo Eskobear, ending in a rather anti-climactic manner, Banks and writer Jimmy Warden decided to craft an entire narrative ecosystem around the titular character. Leading up to the creature’s rampage, the film sets up a series of misadventures involving drug dealers, kids exploring the woods and a detective following a lead. Surprisingly, the film spends a fair bit of time on the human characters, namely the criminals Daveed and Eddie Dentwood as we see them process Eddie’s grief when they’re not running and screaming away from Cocaine Bear. Alongside a burgeoning bromance, the story of single mother Keri tracking down her teenage daughter alongside her daughter’s adorably dense friend, Henry makes up the major part of the film.

These two eventually intersecting stories are a lot of fun to follow for the most part, even if they never develop beyond their function as thin narrative scaffolding to hold the film’s paper-thin plot. That being said, one or two sub-plots could have been omitted in lieu of more screen time with the furry beast bucking wild. The film’s attempt near the end to inject some emotional epiphany about toxic fatherhood feels about as clumsy as Matthew Rhys’ Andrew C. Thorton. It doesn’t detract in any way from the overall experience but it feels rather out of place with the entire film’s goofier and gorier tone.

Now that we’ve gotten through all those pesky non-ursine bipedals out of the way, let’s talk about the real star of the show: Cocaine Bear. Banks forgoes any sort of backstory or perspective of the creature, essentially treating it like a shark on land. Watching this 350-pound mass of teeth and claws sneak up on unsuspecting victims before ripping into them is about as fun as it can be. It never quite reaches the visceral experience of seeing Leonardo DiCaprio get maimed in “The Revenant” and it’s not aiming for that. It rides the fine line between physical comedy and horror-based gore with ease and style.

When you get up close and personal with Cocaine Bear, there are some visibly anthropomorphic features when it comes to its furry face. Its unsettling, uncanny-valley-like appearance is on par with the disturbingly unnatural features of Andy Serkis’ Baloo from Netflix’s “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle”. Its grotesque exterior plays well into the film’s uproarious sequences of vicious attacks by the Cocaine Bear. There are your ubiquitous scenes that follow the cookie-cutter mould of survival horror movie monster attack patterns. You know the typical it’s-behind-you or don’t-move moments that have become a staple of the genre. Much like what you’d find in Idris Elba’s “Beast”.

Where the film excels is when it simply lets loose and allows us to gaze upon the beast in all its hideous glory! The high point of the entire film is a lengthy chase sequence involving two paramedics and a less-than-capable park ranger trying to outrun the bear in an ambulance. It’s the perfect cocktail blend of tension, humour and action distilled into a wonderfully choreographed chase which spares no details in its carnage. Unfortunately, the film never quite reaches the heights of that scene but its climax will still have the audience wincing and guffawing in their seats as Cocaine Bear delivers some much-needed comeuppance.

Much like a wild animal let loose on a film set, all the actors here are just chewing the scenery and we love it! Keri Russell’s Sari is the only character who acts like a somewhat sane and responsible adult. Even the detective played by Isiah Whitlock Jr. acts like a complete moron as he takes time to gawk and marvel at the effects of narcotics on an adult black bear. O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Alden Ehrenreich have excellent comedic chemistry together as Daveed and Eddie as they trade barbs and questions on their trek to recover their missing cocaine. The late and great Ray Liotta does an admirable job as the grumpy drug-dealing patriarch Syd Dentwood as he serves as the secondary antagonist of the film.

By far the most memorable character in the entire film has got to be Henry, played by Christian Convery who plays Gus in the Netflix series “Sweet Tooth”. Convery’s character’s delightfully sweet but dull child-like sensibilities are brilliantly contrasted against his age-appropriate propensity for vulgarity and his occasional bouts of sagacious lucidity. Margo Martindale also scores big points from us with her performance as the trigger-happy park ranger who does more harm than help when going up against the beast.

The status of Elizabeth Bank’s “Cocaine Bear” as a horror survival film with comedic elements or as a lengthy exercise in physical comedy utilising horror tropes is certainly up for discussion. What isn’t though is how much ridiculous fun the film offers. It wears its absurdity on its shoulder with pride and never relents during its relatively brief hour-and-a-half runtime. This furry and furious spectacle will have your heart racing and your gut aching, even if it never rises above its base animal instincts. If this film has taught us anything is that no one should try cocaine. Especially bears and Christian Convery.

You can now catch “Cocaine Bear” in cinemas today!


#TRECKL: New Entertainment Enclave Kicks Off The Official Launch Of Electric Boulevard

Nearly 3 years since its inception, TREC, the 5-zone entertainment/nightlife enclave, is all set for the launch of Electric Boulevard this Friday (4th December).

Inspired by the bright lights, big city atmosphere, Electric Boulevard comprises 2 blocks of inter-connected, double-storey outlets of contemporary design. It is the first phase of TREC, Malaysia’s largest and first purpose-built entertainment estate by KL-based TREC Holdings.

The high energy, highly-charged street destination share a home ground with the new Zouk Kuala Lumpur, which was launched earlier in August with much fanfare at TREC on 436 Jalan Tun Razak.

It is an ideal destination for after-work gatherings as it houses unique F&B venues such as bars, bistros, eateries, and lounges that are specially curated providing an array of offerings for different audiences. It is also a magnetic entertainment destination that allows customers to bar hop, exploring the eclectic mix of venues.

A total of 13 F&B brands have opened along the street of Electric Boulevard and the launch will lead up to TREC’s first New Year’s Eve event on 31st December (Thursday).

A plethora of programmes are specially curated for the upcoming launch, which include:

Another 3 homegrown concepts will set foot at Electric Boulevard this month, adding to nearly 20 bars, clubs and eateries.

TREC’s newly curated attractions includes many “firsts” in the city, as well as the first for entertainment precincts in the capital.

This includes LOL (short for Laughing Out Loud), the first comedy club which started as a concept event. It now has a permanent residence at Electric Boulevard, along with an exciting programming for both local and international talent.

Live House, a rugged yet cosy live music venue has collaborated with the all-time favourite KGB eatery in this venture that draws both foodies and live music fans.

Located a few doors away on the first level is Red Room, an alternative bar comprising several nooks within its space, including the intimate, soon-to-be opened red-hued club. Gritty, with a dose of Brooklyn’s street vibe, Red Room churns out downtempo and house tunes.

Artebar is a minimalistic venue for hipsters. It has a rotating schedule of DJs who perform at the venue, which is decked with specially-commissioned artworks.

Popular homegrown brands have also introduced a unique flair to Electric Boulevard such as COMO by Pisco Bar that sees a cult fan following. Located on the ground level, the modern contemporary-designed COMO serves Mediterranean cuisine and bespoke cocktails. It will soon open a DJ-centric bar on the first level.

With the rise of the cocktail culture, Electric Boulevard is also home to the largest speakeasy, IKKI, a 3,000 sq ft intimate space with a gorgeous bar as its centrepiece.

The tenancy mix at Electric Boulevard has a variety of live music venues, eateries, DJ-centric bars and clubs, with many offering a duo concept of a bar-eatery such as darts bar Friendscino, Meja restaurant and Hacha Mecha, which also features a weekend pop-up supper stall serving hot udon and ramen from midnight.

In total, there are 13 venues that are now opened, including the all-time favourite Starbucks cafe. Irish bar Donkey & Crow will also swing open its doors this week.

Joining the current F&B venues this month are Nicsmann 1940s by Lewrē, Supperclub, and one of KL’s most well-loved establishments, The Social. With the new additions next month, this adds to a total of nearly 20 F&B brands, excluding luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz taking a commercial space at Electric Boulevard as its showroom.

TREC is part of KL’s Tourism Master Plan. It is also endorsed by the Tourism Ministry as a designated entertainment zone under the NKEA.

The remaining blocks at TREC in Phase 2 – Alcove, The Hive and Terraces – are expected to see its opening progressively from the 2nd quarter of 2016. Foreign brands are expected to set foot in TREC’s Phase 2 development.

Tenancy of TREC, which comprises 77 units (including Electric Boulevard), currently stands at 75%.

To mark the milestone and the finale of Electric Boulevard’s launch, TREC will be organising the biggest NYE party in the city at its street destination as well as at its outdoor event space, Quad, to usher in the New Year. The free entry outdoor party will be packed with performances and fringe activities.

This is held in addition to the NYE festivities that would also take place at individual F&B venues at Electric Boulevard. More details of Electric Boulevard and TREC’s NYE party will be announced soon.

Stay tuned to our site or TREC’s official website for more updates.

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Hype Eats: Adventurous New Food To Try In The Klang Valley This Week (24th – 30th October)

Amidst Deepavali and Halloween festivities, this week brings you an abundance of things to do. And it is more certain that when it comes to food, you are spoilt rotten for choice!

Be on your own or your in the company of your loved ones, excite your appetite and try out this week’s list of foods from Rendang Burger and thin-crust pizzas to local bakery delights and delicious cocktails! So, bring your big pants and feast, feast, feast!

A post shared by Burger King Malaysia (@burgerking_malaysia)

Location: All Burger King outlets near you

Burger King has released a new, limited-time burger – the Jom Rendang burger! The crispy chicken burger is paired with their secret rendang sauce for a special burst of flavour! If you haven’t tried it, the Jom Rendang burger is surely something should not miss out on! Visit your nearest Burger King outlet now!

A post shared by Pizza Hut Malaysia (@pizzahutmalaysia)

Location: All Pizza Hut outlets near you

Pizza Hut has released a new pizza crust for all to enjoy. The new Pizza Hut Crackin Thin Crust is now thinner, crunchier, cheesier, and definitely more delicious. Only 0.5cm thin for a delicious colossal taste. Try the new Crackin’ Thin Crust today at any Pizza Hut outlet near you!

A post shared by PUTS & POTS (@putsandpots)

A local bakery in Kuala Lumpur serves freshly baked pastries, brunch and unique cloud coffee for all to enjoy. If you are looking for a hearty meal or even just a quick cup of coffee, Puts and Pots is there to serve you! The Muslim-owned cafe is a must-try for foodies!

A post shared by Smith Breads & Cafe (@smith.breads)

Location: 71, Jalan Setia Bakti, Bukit Damansara

Smith Breads & Cafe is definitely the best place in Kuala Lumpur for sourdough bread! They bake their sourdough using a German wood fire oven that guarantees its deliciousness. Freshly-baked daily, in small batches, using only natural yeasts – no additives, no preservatives and no artificial ingredients were used. Get there now!

A post shared by TAP TAP – Cocktails On Tap (@drink_taptap)

Location: 76, Jalan 27/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas

If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind drinking experience, be sure to visit the Tap Tap Hartamas Cocktail Club. Visitors can experience a cave-themed bar right here in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The cave-like atmosphere is sure to heighten your senses along with their wide selection of well-made cocktails! Be there or be square!

A post shared by Creative Thangachi (@creativethangachi_)

Location: Publika, Dutamas or Republik, Damansara Heights

There’s a new Mexican restaurant in Kuala Lumpur that is sure to take your breath away! Chica Bonita is a beautiful restaurant that offers amazing Cheesy Nachos, Loaded Tacos and much more! What’s more is that they are a themed restaurant, fully decorated with day-of-the-dead ornaments! Check out Chica Bonita for a splendid time!

A post shared by Skinny Diaries (@fooooodbeeeee)

This hidden Japanese eatery in Wisma Cosway serves mouth-watering Japanese cuisine. The Japanese restaurant, Enoshima, has a cozy ambiance within that will make you lost in time. On top of that, visitors can expect lots of authentic sushi, ramen, and sake that will immediately transport you to the heart of Japan!

Location: All leading supermarkets near you

Fans of Californian rapper Snoop Dogg rejoice as his hugely successful 19 Crimes Cali Red wine is officially available in Malaysia! The renowned Californian Icon; Snoop Dogg joined forces with Australian label 19 Crimes to create the first Californian wine in the portfolio, a unique red blend with ripe, punchy fruit from the Petite Sirah, complemented by bright, slightly-candied, red fruit from the Zinfandel.

2. Llaollao’s Official Halal Certification Ceremony

Llaollao, the leading Spanish natural yogurt brand in Europe and Asia, is thrilled to announce that it has been granted the Halal certification from Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM). This Halal certification indicates that all of llaollao’s products, as well as their preparation method and ingredient source, is suitable for consumption by Muslims in accordance with Islamic doctrine. Now all citizens of Malaysia can easily enjoy Llaollao without any worry!

Puteri Teja contributed to this article.

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#FullMetalAlchemist: Trailer For Live Action Adaptation Drops

Full Metal Alchemist fans, this is what you guys have been waiting for.

The trailer for the live action adaptation of popular manga series “Full Metal Alchemist (鋼の錬金術師)” has been released, giving us a glimpse of how the series would look like if it happened in real life.

Iconic scenes from the story were shown, and the movie shows Ryōsuke Yamada (a member of Hey! Say! JUMP) in full costume as the alchemist and main character Edward Elric and also Al in full CGI (no voice actor has been revealed as of press time). While Winry Rockbell and Roy Mustant weren’t present in the trailer, we know that Tsubasa Honda (who acted as Futaba in “Blue Spring Ride”) and Dean Fujioka (who acted in “Happy Marriage”) will portray the characters.

Other cast includes Fumiyo Kohinata as General Hakuro; Ryuta Sato as Maes Hughes; Misako Renbutsu as Riza Hawkeye; Natsuna as Maria Ross; Natsuki Harada as Gracia Hughes; Yo Oizumi as Shou Tucker; Jun Kunimura as Doctor Marco; Yasuko Matsuyuki as Lust; Kanata Hongou as Envy; Shinji Uchiyama as Gluttony; and Kenjiro Ishimaru as Father Cornello.

The 30-second clip was not the only thing that excited fans, as several movie stills were also made public.

Fumihiko Sori, who will be helming the film, shared her thoughts on the film. She expressed, “I want to create a style that follows the original manga as much as possible. The cast is entirely Japanese, but the cultural background is Europe. However, it’s a style that doesn’t represent a specific race or country. There will never be a scene in which a character says something that would identify him/her as Japanese.”

In June, several on-set photos of the film was leaked, showing the main actor dressed up as the elder Elric brother in Volterra, Italy. Filming began in early June and wrapped up in Japan in mid-August.

The movie will stay true to the source material and tell the story of the Elric brothers, who are on the search to restore their damaged body, which was destroyed after an alchemical ritual went wrong. The director has also revealed the story will be cramped into one complete film, and Ed’s age has been changed to 20, instead of the original 15.

It would be interesting to see how they will cramp a total of 51 episodes in a movie and how Ed’s age affects the dynamic, but for now, let’s enjoy the trailer.

Here’s the full transcript of the trailer, by courtesy of Anime News Network:

Text: The time has come.
Text: Original work: Hiromu Arakawa
Text: Director: Fumihiko Sori (Ping Pong)
Text: Two brothers’ great journey.
Text: The legend…
Text: Finally begins.
Title Logo: Fullmetal Alchemist
Edward: I promise I’ll get our bodies back.
Text: 2017, winter.

The live-action adaptation is slated for release in Japan in winter (December to January) 2017.

For more info, visit their official website and Twitter.


#CL: 2NE1 Leader Expected To Make US Debut In September

Fans of 2NE1 have been waiting and anticipating for CL’s US solo debut for the longest time. The 2NE1 leader, who would be the first among the members to make a US solo debut, has been working hard on her new album since announcing the news last October. The announcement came after the group wrapped up promotions for 2NE1’s “Crush” and the group’s “All Or Nothing” world tour.

After working on the album for almost a year, the singer will finally show the world what she has in store soon as she is expected to make her US debut next month (September).

On 3rd August, Korean media outlet Star News reported that CL had already finished recording for the tracks that will be included in her upcoming US album. The filming for her music videos will begin this month and it was highlighted that a total of 2 music videos will be filmed, one in South Korea and one in the US. The article concluded with CL possibly starting the promotions for her debut by next month.

CL has been working on her album with a slew of famous producers and musicians including Sean Garrett, Justin Bieber, Psy, Florence + The Machine, Diplo, and Ariana Grande’s manager Scooter Braun. She was listed as one of “15 Female Rappers to Watch in 2015“ by VH1 earlier in January this year. Fuse TV, on the other hand, listed her as one of “10 Breakout Artists for 2015”. Other platforms, such as Rolling Stones, Billboard, MTV Iggy, Dazed & Confused and more, have also shown their interest in CL.

No other details regarding her album were revealed, but YG Entertainment commented that CL may reunite with her 2NE1 members for a comeback scheduled for next year.

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Hype’s Movie Review: #Interstellar’s Beautiful Yet Emotional Journey Into Space

There’s an old saying that goes “the sky’s the limit”, which literally means humans’ only limitation is the sky. But technology has advanced, the sky is no longer the limit, and we all know that the universe is an endless blackness of space. There’s no end to our universe, which is why we have astronauts exploring further into space and collecting as much information as we possibly can about the universe we live in. Before you get lost in translation, we are talking about Christopher Nolan’s new film, “Interstellar“.

Honestly, watching the trailer alone is enough to make us go, “Yes, this is it. This is another film that will make people debate over its ending.” In fact, some people might even compare it to the Oscar winning film, “Gravity” as both films set their stories in the outer space. Ironically, the story as told in Nolan’s “Interstellar” is a far cry from “Gravity” and if not, slightly better than “Gravity”, as Nolan was able to create an exciting cinematic experience beyond our imaginations.

But, of course, if we really must compare, then it’s best to compare “Interstellar” with Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey“. Nolan has tried to avoid having this film being too similar to Kubrick’s film, because the notable similarities between these 2 movies is the emotional storytelling that shows the good side and the ugly side of human nature.

The story begins by introducing the world that almost seems like it’s coming to an end with approximately 6 billion people in the world struggling to survive. The severe dust storm brought blight to the world and affected the agricultural sector greatly with corns becoming the only crop left for people to survive.

We were then introduced to Cooper (played by Matthew McConaughey), a relatively smart farmer who plants vast fields of corn. But Cooper is not just any normal farmer, he was once a test astronaut pilot and engineer. However, after a traumatic incident, he eventually became a farmer since the world only needs more farmers now.

Despite the unfortunate event, Cooper never gave up on himself and even managed to pass down his knowledge about the universe to his family, especially his daughter Murph (played by Mackenzie Foy). Thus, when Murph complained to him that there was a “ghost” in her room trying to communicate with her, he just brushed it off as the usual kids’ nonsense. We know what you’re thinking but obviously this film is not going to end up as a horror movie. There’s a logical, or rather theoretical explanation behind it but we shall not explain why. ;)

Cooper and his family lived a quiet life in their town until one day, the so-called paranormal event in Murph’s room led them to a hidden NASA base. It was so hidden that no one was even supposed to find it by accident. From there, they met an aged scientist Dr. Brand (played by Michael Caine) and his daughter, Amelia (played by Anne Hathaway). Dr. Brand was once Cooper’s instructor in NASA and he knew Cooper was one of the best astronauts. Thus, Cooper was asked to “save the world”, by traveling into outer space to find the next best planet for humans to live in.

Armed with such a great responsibility, Cooper must make a choice; to leave his family behind to save the world or to remain on Earth and spend the last couple of years with his family. It was a hard decision to make, because not even Cooper himself knew how long the expedition would take and worse, if he could come back alive. Thus, his decision will affect his family greatly and even the world because his mission is to find a way to rescue the people from this dying world, with the help of Amelia and 2 other experienced astronauts Doyle (played by Wes Bentley) and Romilly (played by David Gyasi).

It’s going to be an emotional journey but at the same time, it is exciting because they are about to explore the planets near the newly discovered wormhole that might have the solutions to save the human race. The whole epic space journey is the one that has not been shown in the trailer, because it will spoil the whole cinematic experience.

What we can describe is that Nolan’s outer space feels invincible and beautiful, especially when it’s paired with the dramatic orchestral score composed by Hans Zimmer (of “The Dark Knight” and “Lion King” fame). It is a visual feast with Nolan’s breathtaking shots of the other “planets” they’ve landed on. However, the visual imagery merely served as a backdrop to Nolan’s story in the film.

The focus is still on the human nature, where it touches upon the characters’ feelings toward everything that happens to them. Throughout the journey, audience may realise that there are no good people or bad people; there are only people who can’t make good decisions when they are blinded by greed and desperation. Sometimes, even the surplus military machine with artificial intelligence, TARS (voiced by Bill Irwin) serves as a better soldier than the humans with ever-changing attitudes.

In fact, TARS serves as a comic relief in the film as it reduces the overall intensity of the film with a shot of humour, that sometimes humans might be afraid of. If necessary, TARS would even sacrifice themselves for humans because that’s what they’re programmed to do. Did TARS sacrifice itself for the humans in the film? Well, let’s just say a plot twist sort of saved TARS from extinction.

That’s not the only plot twists you will see in the film because Cooper and the crew will also find themselves in a rather depressing situation after one big discovery. What did they find out, you ask? You just got to watch the film for yourself!

The aftermath of watching the film is rather strong as it leaves an emotional impact on the audience. No prizes for guessing who cried countless time while watching this film in the cinema, of course. Besides that, it’s the kind of the film that will make you think about the possibility of time travel under the physics law and that is enough to keep people debating over “Interstellar”.

Forget what people say about the major plot holes in Nolan’s previous films, because he laid out the explanation in the beginning of the film, before audience get lost in his “Inception”-esque world.

Although it is slated for a November 7th worldwide released, “Interstellar” is set to hit Malaysian cinemas on November 6th. Don’t forget to check out these fun facts before watching “Interstellar”!

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

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Nina Dobrev’s & Ian Somerhalder’s Shocking Split!

Last year, Nina Dobrev (Elena on “The Vampire Diaries”) admitted she was reluctant to embark on a relationship with someone she works with. She confessed, “I didn’t want to be dating one of my co-stars – my goal on the show was to be professional. But sometimes you can’t help who you have a connection with, and you can only fight it for so long – which I did for a really, really long time”.

She was, of course, talking about her relationship with Ian Somerhalder (Damon Salvatore on “The Vampire Diaries”). They pair went public with their romance in 2011.

But after dating for more than three years, they’ve decided to end their relationship. It was claimed that the TV stars were leading different lives and growing apart from each other. And it seems like the 34-year-old vampire hunk was just a tad affected by it when he took to Twitter to express himself:

A source told US weekly, “They are consummate professionals. They will continue to work together and remain best friends, which is where the relationship started”. We also hear that they duo is determined not to let the break up affect their working relationship and will remain best friends.

We’re still reeling from shock. Will it change the onscreen chemistry that they currently have? What do you “The Vampire Diaries” fans think?


Robert Pattinson Tests Positive For COVID-19; “The Batman” Filming Halted

Robert Pattinson has been tested positive for COVID-19, causing filming for “The Batman” to be halted just a few days after resuming outside of London.

Warner Bros. released a statement saying, “A member of The Batman production has tested positive for COVID-19, and is isolating in accordance with established protocols. Filming is temporarily paused.”

Warner Bros. did not confirm the sick cast member’s identity. However, a number of Hollywood media publications, including Vanity Fair and Variety have confirmed that the 34-year-old actor had caught the virus.

The production halt will depend on how long the “Tenet” actor can self-isolate and recover. Previously, the production was 7 weeks into filming before shutting down with other entertainment companies in March due to the pandemic.

Vanity Fair reported that Pattinson’s representative has not immediately returned a request for comment with the “The Batman” being put on hold. Warner Bros. has pushed its release date to October 1st, 2021. The dark-gritty superhero drama was expected to debut on June 25th next year but with the COVID-19 pandemic, Pattinson’s diagnosis combined with 3 months left of filming, they are working on a tight schedule.

The teaser for the movie that was released last month has intrigued DC fans with the appearance of Batman’s arch-enemies such as The Riddler(Paul Dano), Catwoman(Selina Kyle) and The Penguin(Colin Farrell). It also shows Batman beating up a thug gruesomely before saying “I’m Vengeance”.

“Planet of the Ape”s director, Mark Reeves, has said that his version of “The Dark Knight” is inspired by classic noir films such as “Chinatown” and “Taxi Driver”.


Hype’s Now Playing: Disclosure – Willing & Able (ft. Kwabs)

Just when you think that you’ve got your late night driving playlist ready, Disclosure comes along with “Willing & Able”, a new song off their upcoming album “Caracal“.

The British music duo continues to churn out some addictive deep house tunes ahead of the album’s release, giving us a taste of what they have in store for the album. Similar to “Omen” and “Holding On“, producers Guy and Howard Lawrence once again featured a guest artiste for “Willing and Able”.

The latest track finds the Lawrence brothers reverting to their earliest form, as they opened the song with their typical soulful beats. While it’s not so much of a high-energy dance track, British soul artiste Kwabs’ velvety vocals gave us goosebumps.

It is perhaps one of the most soulful songs from Disclosure’s album, as the chorus reels us in with:

If we’re falling in love, we’re falling in love
There’ll be nothing above
And I won’t give you up, no I won’t give you up
If we’re falling in love

Disclosure’s “Caracal” is one star-studded album as multiple award-winning artistes such as Lorde, Sam Smith, the Weeknd, and Miguel are lending their talents to the LP.

The full track list of “Caracal” is as follows:

“Caracal”, the follow up to their debut album “Seattle”, is slated for release on 25th September 2015. It is is currently available for pre-order via iTunes. Stay tuned for more updates on their official website, Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram.

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Yuna Sheds Light On Her Rejected Song For “Fast 7” Soundtrack & More

Yuna Zarai or more commonly known as Yuna, recently took her time to post an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit, where users and fans get to literally ask her anything (she gets to choose which to answer).

The 33 year-old singer posted the AMA on a subreddit called /r/popheads, an online community that centres around pop music.

We’ve compiled some interesting questions on her inspirations, quarantine experience, and collaborations from the AMA session that might pique your interest:

1. “Hey Yuna! What is a good song to introduce someone to your music if they’d never heard you before?” – u/fairytalehigh

Hmmmm anything! I’d say “Decorate” but every song is so different… maybe listen to everything on “Rouge”!

2. “Who are some of your biggest musical inspirations?” – u/ImADudeDuh

I grew up listening to a lot of different things. No Doubt, Lauryn Hill, TLC, Aaliyah, Alanis Morissette, Bob Dylan.. but songwriting wise I think Lauryn Hill really inspired me to start writing songs.

3. “You’re a collaborations queen, you always get/do such great features. Who were your favourite artists to work with, and who do you hope to get a chance to work with someday?” – u/Ghost-Quartet

Usher. He was just a dream to work with. and Jhene (Aiko)!! I’m a huge Tame Impala fan so I hope I get to work with Kevin Parker one day.

4. “My question is how was working with Jay Park on the collaboration? Thank you ❣❣” – u/ComeOnAndSlang

Jay Park is super sweet, I remember going to meet him at the studio in LA to say hi and to show him the song. When I played him the track, he had a huge smile on his face so I took it as a sign! I love “Does She” and LOVE performing it too!

5. “Hi Yuna, you’ve once wrote a song for ‘Fast 7’ right, but it did not make it for the movie. I’ve always wondered, when will the fans get to listen to the song :/” – u/izaxs

? ? ? I don’t have it with me! Let me ask Bobby Brackins (who I wrote that with!) !!!

6. “How would you describe the differences when it comes to making music overseas (i.e. USA) and back in Malaysia?” – u/PandoraKris

Making music overseas I think pushes me to be a better songwriter, for example in LA there’s a huge community of singer songwriters, producers, creatives who are constantly working on their craft and they get so good at it, there’s a healthy competition (but not really a competition competition, just everyone doing their own thing and doing it well!)

Its a very positive, creative environment and you get inspired from collaborating with others. I love making music in Malaysia too but as a songwriter, it’s always better for me to branch out and go overseas and learn from other musicians / music scenes.

7. “How’s this current situation affecting your productivity and creativity?” – u/__haunted__

I’m just a little slow and I get tired easily these days (because I stopped traveling so much!) so at home I just become SuUUUuuper chill!

I do take this time to focus on my health, listen to music, watch films, spend time with my family, do creative things with my husband… just stuff I don’t normally get to do. I’ve been working nonstop for 10 years.

8. “This is assuming that you’ve written new music during quarantine, how would you describe the direction that you’re moving towards.” – u/sklazzers

I usually go back to old memories and write about them – like emotions I had felt before, conversations I had from 10 years ago.. usually this will help me write.

You just gotta use whatever you have during this time you know, good or bad, happy or sad.. For me, I just express myself and write anything that is most natural to me!

9. “Hi, Yuna! You always have great taste whether it’s video editing or the clothes you wear, so where do you get your creative ideas from?” – u/nasirambutan

Aww thank you!! I like to imagine what will look good on me and try it out. I do a little test run and see if I feel good in it, if I feel comfortable, and then I just wear them outside!

With videos, my hubs and I, we watch a ton of films, music videos, we love directors like Wong Kar Wai, Christopher Nolan, Paul Thomas Anderson, David Fincher.. we love all these films and we love studying them – so I think maybe thats why?

Hahahahahah I love both but I gotta go with cats, my friend. I got 10 of them at home, I fear they might kill me in my sleep if I say dogs.

11. “What’s something we’d be surprised to hear that you’re a fan of?” – u/Ghost-Quartet

I think people know this.. I still jam to J.Lo!

To read more on Yuna’s AMA post, click here!

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Contest: Win Movie Tickets To Watch “Knights Of The Zodiac”

Calling all Saint Seiya fans, the popular saga is getting a live-action treatment on the big screen! The original manga was published in 1985 and has since spawn numerous spin-off series, anime, and video games. It’s exciting that we’re now getting an action film in the form of “Knights Of The Zodiac”.

With Stage 6 Films and Toei Animation looking to make as many as six films in total, “Knights Of The Zodiac” will kick off the saga and explore the storylines of our favourite iconic characters.

“Seiya (Mackenyu), a headstrong street teen, spends his time fighting for cash while he searches for his abducted sister. When one of his fights unwittingly taps into mystical powers he never knew he had, Seiya finds himself thrust into a world of warring saints, ancient magical training, and a reincarnated goddess who needs his protection. If he’s to survive, he will need to embrace his destiny and sacrifice everything to take his rightful place among the Knights of the Zodiac.”

Besides Mackenyu, the cast of “Knights Of The Zodiac” include:

Thanks to our friends at Sony Pictures Malaysia, we have 20 pairs of movie tickets to give away. Details of the screening are as per below:


4 “Sama-Sama Freedom” Highlights To Experience At Intermark Mall

In anticipation of Malaysia’s 63rd Hari Merdeka, Intermark Mall has been decked in the colours of the Jalur Gemilang. This includes 150 kites adorning the Ground Floor.

The “Sama-Sama Freedom” campaign, that runs till 2nd September, is meant to showcase togetherness and the freedom of a multinational society in our nation. Here are 4 highlights to check out when you visit the mall:

A post shared by #IntermarkMall (@intermarkmall)

1. #IMSupportLocal – Fashion Fair by Carven Ong Couture that showcases Carven Ong’s latest collection, “Freedom of Creation”. Artisanal Fair by A DAY (一日商號) also offers distinctive handicrafts and gifts.

2. Embrace Autism 2020 – With an exhibition titled “Building a Self-Sufficient Future” from 17th August onwards, the event is inspired by the success stories of 6 young individuals with autism.

3. Meet and Greet with Miss Universe Malaysia 2019 – Swing by for a photo opportunity with Miss Universe Malaysia 2019 Shweta Sekhon, as she makes an appearance in the dress on 22nd August for a “meet and greet” at 4:30pm at the Ground Atrium.

4. Sama-Sama Rewards – Spend RM500 and above in a single receipt to redeem one of the exclusive designer face masks by Carven Ong Couture. Available in various designs and will be released weekly.

For more info on Intermark Mall’s “Sama-Sama Freedom” happenings, click here.


Baby Born With HIV Cured For The First Time

Today, the first of this year’s groundbreaking medical news swarmed the interwebs when researchers confirmed that they have, for the first time, cured a baby born with HIV. Prior to this, the only fully cured AIDS patient recognized worldwide is the so-called “Berlin patient”, American Timothy Brown. Timothy is considered cured of HIV and leukemia five years after receiving bone marrow transplants from a rare donor naturally resistant to HIV.

In this new case, a baby girl received nothing more invasive or complex than commonly available antiretroviral drugs. The unidentified baby from Mississippi was infected by her HIV-positive mother, and her treatment with therapeutic doses of antiretroviral drugs began even before her own positive blood test came back.

The difference, however, was the dosage and the timing, starting less than 30 hours after her birth.

Tests showed the baby’s viral count steadily declined until it could no longer be detected 29 days after her birth. The child was given follow-up treatment with antiretrovirals until 18 months, at which point doctors lost contact with her for 10 months. During that period she was not taking antiretrovirals.

Researchers then were able to do a series of blood tests – and none gave an HIV-positive result. Hence, for the first time, this “functional cure” worked on a baby – a development that could help improve treatment of babies infected at birth. Could this mean that a cure for HIV for both babies and adults will be found soon?

Sources: The Star, ABC News, The Guardian.

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(UPDATE) #TheConjuring2: Warner Bros Moves Release Date To 2016

Oh man! Now we’ve got one less horror films to watch in 2015 as the release date for the sequel of James Wan’s “The Conjuring” has been moved to 2016.

After announcing their full movie slate of DC Comics films, Warner Bros. Pictures made some changes to the release date for other films by delaying the sequel of “The Conjuring” to an unspecified date in 2016.

Originally slated for release on 23rd October 2015, the sequel will continue to unfold the story based on the work of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, where Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will return to play the Warrens couple.

It was also recently announced that James Wan will return to direct the film while Chad and Carey Hayes will be writing the screenplay. Just recently, a spin-off film of “The Conjuring” was released in the Malaysian cinemas but the film received mixed reviews from the audience. Unlike the sequel, the spin-off film tells the story of Annabelle, the cursed doll that was featured in “The Conjuring”.

Titled “The Conjuring 2: The Endfield Poltergeist”, the sequel of James Wan’s “The Conjuring” now has a specific release date.

After announcing that the sequel will be moved to 2016, Warner Bros. has announced that the sequel is slated for release on June 10, 2016.

As we’ve previously mentioned, James Wan will return to direct the film with Chad and Carey Hayes’ screenplay. While everything about the film is still kept under wraps, do you think the sequel will do better than its spin-off film? More importantly, will they put a fresh twist and new horror elements in the sequel?


Did The Oscars Just Released The Full Winner’s List?

Movie’s biggest night – the Oscars – is set to take place on 9th February 2020.

But prior to the award ceremony, it appears that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tweeted out their prediction. Titled “My Oscar Predictions”, it’s actually a predictions app (as oppose to some assumptions that the Academy’s social channels were hacked.

If you’ve been following the award season, a good number of categories are predictable. Unless an upset were to take place, Joaquin Phoenix, Renne Zellweger, Brad Pitt and Laura Dern are said to be shoe-ins for the acting categories.

As for the new category (well, in name at least), best foreign language film has been changed to best international feature film. All eyes are on Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” to take the golden statue home. It’s the first South Korean film nominated in this category, and it’ll most likely be the first to win.

“1917” is also another favourite expected to sweep some awards.


Famous Italian Cruise Costa Venezia Enters Asian Market

Italy’s largest tourism group and Europe’s number one cruise company, Costa Cruises has designed its first Costa liner called the Costa Venezia, specifically for its Asian guests.

Operated since 2006, the grand ship which offers the best of Italy is the largest ship introduced by Costa to Asia, with a gross tonnage of 135,500 tons, 323 meters in length and a capacity for over 5,200 guests.

Costa Venezia is on her way! • #cruise #cruises #cruising #cruisinglife #cruiselife #cruisingaround #travel #trip #travelingaround #traveling #travelgram #travelingram #travelingaround #photo #photography #igphoto #igphotography #instaphoto #instaphotography #follow #followme #tourist #tourism #mscbellissima Video taken by: @costacruisesofficial

A post shared by  Costavenezia (@costavenezia) on Feb 1, 2019 at 1:49pm PST

Costa Venezia celebrated its maiden call to Port Klang, Malaysia last week. The event was attended by Malaysia’s Minister of Transport, Yang Berhormat Tuan Anthony Loke.

The fancy cruise offers a series of unprecedented innovations designed specifically for Asian customers, introducing them to Italian culture, lifestyle and excellence, starting from the interiors, which are inspired by the city of Venice.

Mr. Roberto Verdino, Deputy Country Manager for Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia of Costa Group Asia, says: “Costa Venezia has been designed specifically with Asian travellers in mind.  While we continue to offer authentic Italian experience, there are many facilities and specialty restaurants that are catered to Asian guests.”

“The joining of Costa Venezia to Costa Asia’s fleet will bring ‘The Best Time at Sea’ cruise holiday to our Asian guests, and at the same time, demonstrate Costa Cruises’ confidence in the Asian market,” he continued.

The ship’s theatre is inspired by the world-renowned Venetian La Fenice opera house; the main atrium is reminiscent of St. Mark’s Square, while the main restaurants recall the traditional architecture of Venetian alleys and squares. Actual gondolas, made by the Squero di San Trovaso artisans, can also be found on board.

Guests can savour the delicacies of regional Italian cuisines at the inclusive restaurants, as well as fine dining with menu curated by chef Umberto Bombana of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant, 81⁄2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, at Restaurant Casanova, one of the five specialty restaurants.

Guests will also feel at home with a wide choice of Asian food on offer, including hotpot, teppanyaki, dim sum and noodles.

Featuring more than 8,000 square feet of retail space amid a 2-deck Venetian-style shopping pavilion, the premier retailer at sea Starboard Cruise Services is curated with some of the world’s most celebrated brands, including first-time-at-sea Max Mara, Salvatore Ferragamo and Bvlgari.

Costa Venezia further appeals to the Asian shopper with the largest beauty space at sea, measuring more than 2,500 square feet and including over 30 international brands, with the first-at-sea Clé de Peau Beauté and Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, La Prairie, Bvlgari, Chanel, Dior, La Mer, SK-II and more.

The Merchant of Venice, a refined perfumer that pays homage to the beauty of Venetian culture, also makes its debut at sea and available for the first time in Asia.

Guests can look forward to be entertained by nightly shows and performances, including “Venezia Innamorata”, a musical inspired by the love stories of Venetian author and adventurer Giacomo Casanova, specially created for Costa Venezia’s Teatro Rosso. There are also themed parties such as the “Golden Party” and “Carnival of Venice” masked ball which will recreate the magical atmosphere of “The City of Canals” onboard.

Soccer fans can enjoy a 360-degree Italian football experience at Asia’s exclusive Juventus Football Club at sea which features special facilities including an outdoor soccer field, an indoor academy, a museum showcasing  historic trophies and memorabilia, jerseys and signed shoes, as well as a retail shop selling limited edition merchandise.

For guests who enjoy the outdoors, the ship has both outdoor and indoor swimming pools and jacuzzis, an aqua park with water slides, a mini golf course, a high-rope garden, outdoor fitness facilities, a wellness complex with gym and spa, clubs for teens and kids, and many more.

During Costa Venezia’s maiden call to Malaysia, Hype was invited to board and experience the facilities and services available on the cruise. We have to say that we’re extremely impressed by the professionalism of the crews and the attractive layout of the ship’s interior and exterior. It really does feel as though we have been transported to Venice, Italy.

During the session, we also get to fine dine at one of the specialty restaurants on the ship, where we were served traditional Venetian meals. The menu includes Baccala Mantecato as the appetiser, La Sopa Coada and Spaghetti Alla Busara as the first course, Masorin Col Pien as the main course, and Frittelle as the dessert.

Our thoughts on the cuisine? All of the dishes were presented in simple style but all of them taste exquisite and delightfully pleasing. Our favourite dish has to be one of the first courses, the La Sopa Coada which is a typical dish of the Treviso cuisine. The dish is basically hot broth with layers of soaked bread and boneless chicken.

Costa Venezia embarked from Trieste for the start of its inaugural cruise on 8th March, an exceptional 53-day trip following the tracks of Marco Polo through the Mediterranean to the Middle East, South East Asia and the Far East before docking in Tokyo.

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12.12 Year-End Sale: Exciting Promos From Lazada, Shopee, McDonalds & More

Missed out on 11.11 sale or Black Friday? Fret not, this coming 12.12 online sale has massive jaw-dropping deals and attractive discounts from major brands to help you out on your last-minute Christmas gifts and New Year shopping.

We’re updating this space, so feel free to check back here until the 12.12 Grand Year-End Sale. After all, we wouldn’t want you to miss out on the best savings this December.

In case you haven’t notice, we’re also giving out RM50 Lazada cash vouchers via our Facebook and Instagram contests.

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Traveloka allows customers to take part in the Book and Win A FREE Staycation when they become Traveloka’s top spender during this campaign period. 3 lucky winners stand to win exciting getaways. In addition, Traveloka Nom Nom, an Augmented Reality game experience, marks Traveloka’s first foray into an AR Gamification product, embedding innovative technologies that are bound to excite customers while rewarding them at the same time.

Partnering with Malaysian social activist Kuan Chee Heng aka Uncle Kentang

Through this initiative, Traveloka encourages customers to take part in this social action while also enjoying attractive rewards at the same time. The customers who use the combinable coupon code “KENTANG5” will enjoy RM5 off their purchase and Traveloka will funnel the full amount gathered from each purchase using this coupon code towards a women’s wellness initiative that Uncle Kentang advocates for.

The vivo x Shopee 12.12 Birthday Sale is back on this iconic 12.12, with discounts up to 38% including limited-time great deals and free gifts up for grabs. There will be plenty of discounts for vivo devices, vouchers and gifts waiting to be owned.

During its 12.12 Decemberation, OPPO offers exclusive deals on a wide range of items, including the Reno6 series, Reno5 series, A74 5G, A74, IoT products and more, on OPPO Official Store, OPPO Official Shopee Store , OPPO Lazada Flagship Store and Astro Go Shop.

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It’s going to be 12.12 soon! Lazada users, don’t miss this chance to get 10% off on either Regular or Premium whole cake! Voucher redemption period is from 12th -14th Dec 2021.

Redeem this McD App exclusive deal for McChicken (M) McValue Meal with 1pc Ayam Goreng McD for just RM12.12. Offer valid on 12th Dec 2021 from 10am onwards.


Police Bust Drug-Fueled Party In Penang; Over 30 People Arrested

A private party held at a luxury bungalow in Batu Feringghi, which saw the attendance of more than 30 people, came to a halt after police raided the premise.

What’s more, the party-goers had rubbed salt into their own wounds, when the police found drugs and illegal substances during the raid.

It was reported that over 30 men and 5 women were arrested by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) during the bust at 11:30pm. The incident was shared by the Penang Kini Ori Facebook page on their profile recently.

The post stated, “The raid started at 11:30 pm as a result of (police) intelligence and public information of the group who made the bungalow a party venue.” It was also mentioned that the party included drug abuse following “the discovery of a number of illegal substances (in the premise).”

According to the post, it is believed that the group had rented the bungalow as night clubs are not allowed to operate in the country due to Covid-19. Yikes, with the number of cases rising in Malaysia, the last thing everyone should think about is partying their health away.

As of 14th October, the state of Penang has recorded 17 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the number to a total of 353 confirmed cases.

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We Bare Bears Will Be Visiting Kuala Lumpur This December!

Need some paw-sitivity in your lives? How about some bear hugs from We Bare Bears themselves?

That’s right peeps! After visiting China, Philippines and Singapore, the internet-famous bear-brothers are finally paying a visit to Kuala Lumpur.

This comes after Cartoon Network teased Malaysia as the next stop in their “We Bare Bears: We’ll Be There” pan-Asian tour last month. In Singapore, the bears appeared in iconic tourist locations such as the Merlion, Gardens by the Bay and also greeted fans at Century Square and Tampines One malls.

Meanwhile, Pinoys got some bear love when We Bare Bears visited local charity – Healing Heart to encourage donation of school supplies and toys for children in need. When the bear brothers visited China, they got to hold a meet-and-greet with their biggest fans onboard a cruise in Shanghai. How fun!

Lately, We Bare Bears have been spotted giving out free hugs to fans in Malaysia at several Kuala Lumpur tourist spots including KLCC and Central Market. They are not done yet though. To ensure that they get to meet more fans, We Bare Bears will be setting up a shop in a shopping mall.

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(UPDATE) #Malaysia: JAKIM Wants Muslim Woman In “Bubu” Dog Video To Repent

Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) has expressed criticism over a Muslim woman named Nurhanizah Abdul Rahman for a video of her and “Bubu”, her pet dog, saying that her actions are an affront to Islam.

JAKIM director-general Tan Sri Othman Mustapha took to his Facebook page to condemn the video, saying that intentionally touching dogs was “highly disturbing” and went against Islamic teachings.

“JAKIM deeply regrets her intentional act of touching dogs without any concrete reasons, which is prohibited in Islam. We find her actions to be highly disturbing to Muslims here as they contravene our culture and the tenets of our school of jurisprudence,” Othman said.

He went on to say that although Islam allows Muslims to cleanse themselves after touching dogs, this did not mean they may adopt the animals as pets. As such, the action was akin to Muslims knowingly committing sins out of the ability to repent later.

“Therefore, JAKIM hopes the individual will stop her actions and repent to Allah. Her actions suggest that she is trying to start a new culture that can be insulting to Islam,” he added.

Nurhazinah uploaded the video on her Facebook profile on 1st July as part of a competition organised by pet lovers group SmartHeart. In the video, Nurhazinah recounted how she began feeding “Bubu”, a stray mongrel, before eventually adopting the dog after rescuing it from a mass culling operation in 2015.

The campaign features individuals sharing their experiences with their respective pets to get votes, and those with the best stories will be chosen as winners.

“Jakim does not decide what is a sin,” said Muslim preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin in a Facebook post. He was addressing the issue of JAKIM asking Muslim woman Nurhanizah Abdul Rahman to repent for a video of her and “Bubu”, her pet dog.

Wan Ji explained that there is no part of the Quran or hadith (a collection of traditions containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad) which says that it is “haram” (forbidden) for Muslims to touch dogs. He also added that a “fatwa” (edict) by renowned Islamic scholar Ibn Abd Al-Barr states that touching dogs is something that is “makruh” (offensive act), but not “haram”.

“The issue of repenting does not arise for it does not involve a sin,” he said.

Wan Ji is not the only person who has spoken up against JAKIM’s calls for the Nurhazinah to repent.

MMO quoted lawyer Syahredzan Johan as saying that JAKIM does not have the power to issue any fatwa or to make decisions on any Islamic rules, except in relation to issuing halal certification.

“JAKIM is not a state religious body, so its director-general does not have the status of a mufti,” Syahredzan said, adding that it has no jurisdiction to advise or to warn anyone regarding the rules of raising pet dogs.

Sources: Tan Sri Othman Mustapha, MMO (1), The Straits Times, Wanji Wanhussin Wanji, MMO (2) / Featured image: YouTube screenshot.

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Fans Creeped Out By Selena Gomez Bathing Naked In Horror Video

Selena Gomez and Petra Collins are sending chills down your spine.

Titled “A Love Story”, the singer and filmmaker have collaborated on a new short horror film. Collins previously directed the pop star’s “Fetish” and “Bad Liar” music videos. Both share a similar vibe with this latest project.

The psychedelic clip shows the 26-year-old star humming to herself while bathing in murky water. She’s completely nude as she bathes with a prosthetic mask that eerily resembles an actual severed human face. There are also creepy flesh on different parts of her body, including her own face. Ew…

These uncomfortable imagery doesn’t just stop there though. At one point, Gomez is seen sucking on an eyeball and consuming icing off her leg she scraped off with a knife. What does it all mean? Fans are still scratching their heads trying to figure out the connotation behind these scenes.

“I think you changed Selena. I miss Selena in 2016 and I want in 2016 and I want it back … I’m afraid,” one fan accused the Canadian filmmaker. Added another: “This has a serial killer vibe to it!”

“I had to stop watching,” noted a scared viewer. Another frightened fan chimed in, “This is not Sel, she changed. I know everyone changes, grows up, but now Selena is half-Petra and I don’t like it (just like too many Selenators).”

In an interview with Dazed last year, the singer opened about working with Collins. “People don’t know but my personal life ties into the work we do together because (she) knows things about my life that nobody knows and I know a lot about (her) life that nobody knows,” Gomez explained. “It comes out, somehow.”

The artist and photographer also told Vanity Fair that they’ve been itching work on something in the horror genre. “I love ‘The Exorcist’ and the things that come from inside you, the things that are a little more subtle, and things that you deal with from inwards, and I feel like it’s something Selena and I both love talking about… that topic is sort of dear to us,” Collins told the mag.

Don’t say we didn’t warn you but Gomez will be haunting your dreams.


Hype Picks: Best Things To Do In Klang Valley This Week (6th June – 12th June)

It’s June, and you know what that means? More fun and entertaining activities to look forward to!

And what better way to kick off the month than to let Hype Picks help you decide your itinerary for this week. We’ve got a variety of events—from spectacular marathon to joyous festivals—all for your pleasure. Let’s get started, shall we?

1. Zero To Hero Garmin Run Asia Series 2022 Malaysia Marathon

Date: 12th May – 11th June (Registration), 11th September (Event)

Take part in this year’s Garmin Run Asia Series Marathon and stand a chance to win RM10,000 worth of Garmin products for a year! Registration is now open for early birds, starting 12th May until 11th June. Click here for more information and to register.

Location: Pinkfong Wonderstar Carnival 2022, Centre Court, Level 2, Pavilion Bukit Jalil

Are your kids fans of the iconic song “Baby Shark”? Then don’t miss out on the Pinkfong Wonderstar Carnival happening this year. Join the many exciting activities, workshops, exclusive meet and greet and other fun-filled adventures with Pinkfong, Baby Shark and Hogi. It’s sure to keep your little ones happy all day long! Visit this site for more info.

Location: Centre Court, Ground Floor, Mid Valley Megamall

LEGO is throwing the party of the year and everyone’s invited! Celebrate 90 years of fun and play with creative activities, photo sessions and loads of BRICKS! For more information on the activities at the mall, click here.

Get ready music lovers because here comes the Campbell Music Fest rocking into 2022! There’s tons of activities to look forward to for the following days with a chance to win up to RM1000. Head on over to their Facebook to learn more.

Date: 9th Jun – 26th June (Kuala Lumpur)

Bonjour, film enthusiasts! Hope your excited for the Le French Film Festival because it’s coming your way. After a two-year hiatus, the festival is ready to showcase their culture through alluring French films, delectable gastronomy and much more. Learn how to win the tickets here.

6. PUBG Mobile Pro League SEA Championship

Location: Pavilion Bukit Jalil Exhibition Centre

Calling all PUBG fans! The Championship is just right around the corner and you don’t want to miss it. Watch sixteen teams from the Southeast Asia region compete for victory on their Facebook.

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Time: 8:30pm (11th June), 3pm (12th June)

Location: Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC)

Old Lear revisits the theme of one of Shakespeare’s famous works, “King Lear” with scenes that include Malay, Mandarin and Cantonese apart from English. You may purchase tickets at the price of RM68 and RM58 (seniors, students and disabled). More info on their Instagram!

8. Malaysia Sea Star Handicraft Festival

Location: Atria Shopping Gallery – Level 1, Event Hall

Malaysia Sea Star Handicraft Festival wishes to bring the handicraft industry to a higher level of exposure with their handmade crafts, workshops and award ceremonies, promoting creativity and a love for art. Click here to find out more.

Location: Padang Merbok, Jalan Parlimen KL

This Charity Fun Run will have you dripping sweat from head to toe for 5km but what is a little sweat compared to the huge donations that could be given to the Welfare Society. For more info, visit their Facebook. See you guys there!

10. Hiking Experience @ Templer Park Falls

Location: Templer Park Water Falls, Rawang

Ever thought of hiking through a jungle trail while admiring nature? Well, DMD Experience offers an opportunity of a lifetime with their trip to the Templer Park Water Falls. Meet up with people and make new friends to share your amazing experience with! Find out more on their Instagram and Facebook.

Location: Green Vase Fountain, Ground Floor of Sunway Pyramid

HyperGram—an on-ground marketing experience designed using 4K 3D technology—introduces their first-ever interactive 3D holographic experience right here in Malaysia. You could see objects, products and animations look like its real and floating in air without using special glasses or apps.

The best part is you can interact with the hologram with the built-in audio and visual instruction! Check out their site to find out more.

Neetashini Kanendran contributed to this article

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Upfront Presents Yumi Zouma Live At The Bee

Yumi Zouma makes their way to Kuala Lumpur.

Yumi Zouma began as project in 2013 between three friends from Christchurch, New Zealand. The songs were never meant to leave the equipment they were composed on, but following a casual exchange with the Cascine label, it was clear that the music was too good to be left on hard drives. The following six months were spent readying a humble four-track release.

In January 2014, their debut EP launched to overwhelming acclaim and the months that followed saw the band repeatedly climb to #1 on the Hype Machine, sell through two pressings of records and collaborate with longtime musical role models, Air France.

That spring, Yumi Zouma took their once-withdrawn project to sold-out theaters across Australia supporting Chet Faker, to club shows in North America and to festivals throughout Europe. The band was then tapped by Lorde to open for the star on her arena tour of New Zealand.

Now, Yumi Zouma returns with their much-anticipated second EP, bookending their era of intimate and restrained short-form releases. The band who are also touring internationally, will be making a stop in Kuala Lumpur for a one night only performance.

Happening this August, event details are as follows:

Please note that pre-sale tickets will be available at The Bee (Jaya One & Publika), Rock Corner Bangsar Village 1, Pulp by Papa Palheta, Teenage Head Records and Online at Peatix.

For more on Yumi Zouma, stalk them via these platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


Interview: Hairul Azreen, Zahiril Adzim, Shiqin Kamal, Elvina Chua & Nafiez Zaidi On How “Ada Hantu” Is Different From Other Horror Films

To support the local film community, Disney+ Hotstar will be the exclusive home of “Ada Hantu” as part of the platform’s agreements with leading Malaysian studio, Act 2 Pictures. The film stars local celebrities Zahiril Adzim, Shiqin Kamal, Hairul Azreen, Elvina Chua, and Nafiez Zaidi.

The film pursues Aliff (Zahiril Adzim), a content creator who is skeptic of all things supernatural. To prove that ghosts are not real, he challenges his friends, Bariah (Shiqin Kamal), Talha (Hairul Azreen), Sasha (Elvina Chua), and Jimmy (Nafiez Zaidi) to spend a night in an old, abandoned house — rumoured to have been once owned by a Japanese general who had brutally tortured and murdered everyone around him. Eerie thrills and chills abound as the night progresses and as Aliff loses sight of his friends, he soon realises that the house is not all that he imagined it to be.

“Ada Hantu” shines the spotlight on Hairul Azreen as it marks his first directorial debut on set. He shares, “Directing a movie is a big responsibility, and one that isn’t easy to take on. Regardless, I was excited to work on “Ada Hantu” and was grateful to have been given the chance.”

We got the opportunity to join the director and cast of “Ada Hantu” during the press conference of the film where they talked about viewers’ expectations of the film and the eerie experiences while filming the horror scenes. Check out the interview here:

1. Can you describe your feeling being a first-time director and an actor in this film? Do you prefer being a director now that you have taken the step into directing?

Hairul Azreen: I am satisfied because we have a very solid cast and they successfully made this film whole. I personally am so excited for the premiere of this film that I keep counting the days for the premiere. All of us can’t wait for you guys to see this movie because we all have been waiting for this debut film of mine. People must have been wondering about this film, about my work but I promised a different kind of experience for the viewers.

Being a director is totally different from being an actor. Directing requires wider and bigger responsibilities. Honestly, I am more intrigued on continuing my dream as an action star because I have different dreams as an actor. But I have my own vision as a director as well.  Adrian Teh helped me a lot and guided me during filming. As this is my first time directing and I don’t have sufficient experience so his guidance really helped me. Being a director has also increased my skills as an actor. It was truly an invaluable experience.

2. From being a Hero Malaya and an action star to a horror film director, what made you decide to produce this horror film as your directorial debut?

Hairul Azreen: We all know that Malaysia and Indonesia are both very popular with horror stories. We’ve been hearing these kinds of stories since childhood. When we were sleepy in class at school, sharing horror stories with friends would automatically wake us up. Horror is synonymous with our society and I think this is one thing that I could put up front as something different. In 2021, what kind of twists and variations that we can show. We are all familiar with boarding school horror stories, the kinds of mystical things that happen in boarding school toilets and so on. So, this film has a different kind of storyline. The original idea of this story actually comes from Adrian Teh. And from there we got to know the superstition in Chinese culture regarding ghosts. Because we usually hear Malay ghost stories, it is very rare that we hear mystical encounters of Chinese and Indians. So, we try to explore the Chinese and Indian ghost stories as well as taboos from the cultures in Malaysia.

3. As this film marks your directorial debut, are you ready to receive different reactions from viewers?

Hairul Azreen: Honestly speaking, we always need to be ready to face criticisms or feedback when we do anything. For me, we need to keep on doing our best and keep presenting our best efforts. If we keep on listening to the naysayers, we will not be able to produce any stories. So, it is better for us to focus on improving our work and do better. It is normal for audiences to have different reactions and I understand that not everyone would instantly find a liking in our film. We all have different interests. I will just try my best to keep improving and produce a film that could raise Malaysian films’ standards.

4. Zahiril, you have the most experience among the casts and you are known for being particular in choosing your script. What made you decide to choose “Ada Hantu”?

Zahiril Adzim: I have previously done a few horror movies. And having done this genre before, we will notice the similarities in the storyline of the previous horror movies. But for this film, for “Ada Hantu”, the first thing that made me decide to participate in this film is the storyline. The storyline that Hairul offered has a plot twist that struck me. Okay, this is it, I want to be a part of the cast. I like the storyline of this film. It does not have the usual horror film plot that we are so used to watch. “Ada Hantu” offered an interesting plot twist that would make people exclaim “Woah”, something like that.

5. What about you guys? How were your experiences under Hairul’s style of directing?

Zahiril Adzim: He (Hairul) has his own vision while directing. He will explain to us clearly how he wanted us to act and he made sure that all the casts understood then we began filming. His style of directing is very calm and gentle and he rarely points out our errors. Sometimes I feel like, did I do it correctly? For me, I’m quite anxious because I’m worried if my performance is not on par with Hairul’s standard. When I asked him, he would usually say that it’s fine. Then when I saw the result on screen, everything was really okay and I am satisfied with the outcome.

Shiqin Kamal: I agree. When he (Hairul) directs or has comments to make, he’s mindful about the directions that he gives and as actors, that was very encouraging for us. When he has comments about our acting, about my performance, he will personally suggest his thoughts. And he did that not in a director’s way, but like we talk to friends. So, we as casts do not feel offended or anything.

Nafiez Zaidi: Like Shiqin said, Hairul is mindful of us and when he wants to suggest anything, he will pull us aside and calmly express his ideas. At least character wise, he did give me a lot of input to truly understand Jimmy’s character. So, we discussed a lot and it was really easy and cool to work with him.

Elvina Chua: I am relatively new compared to other casts, so I felt small and rarely asked for opinion. But with Hairul, he explained how he wanted each character to shine. However, he voiced out his opinion not for it to be the ultimatum, instead, he will explain why he wanted the character to be that way. Hairul was very clear about what he wanted. He knew what his actors were capable of, making for a pleasant experience whilst shooting.

6. How was your role in “Ada Hantu” different from other movies or roles that you have starred in?

Shiqin Kamal: I usually carry dark characters in my previous roles so Bariah’s character is not particularly dark but she is a strong character. She is strong in a good way, not the hated kind. There was not much difference from my previous roles but Bariah is indeed a strong character as she is the mastermind of the group. The character shows a different side of my acting skills.

Nafiez Zaidi: This is my first lead role in the movie, with the other main casts of the film. Jimmy’s character is different from my usual role previously. He has a bit of Korean Oppa, sort of ‘jambu’ vibes. I haven’t taken on this kind of character before this. So, Jimmy, he has a gift. He can sense the supernatural aura in certain areas. When the group goes to any spooky places, Jimmy will be the one to enter the place first, to sense the mystical presence on scene. So, that’s the kind of character he is.

Elvina Chua: Sasha is a happy-go-lucky kind of girl. She cares about her friends, but she is usually occupied with creating content for her followers as an Instafamous. She will always have her phone with her at all times so she can record everything that happens. Despite that, she is very caring of her friends. So, you can watch the development of Sasha’s character from being very bubbly to a caring friend in the film later.

7. Elvina, as a representative of the Chinese community in this film, how do you feel about having more colours and representation in Malaysian movies?

Elvina Chua: When I received the casting call for the role, I thought I was being pranked. I was like, is this for real? I couldn’t believe it at first. This film is something else as it represents Malaysia. It is unique that we can see talent from different backgrounds, different cultures and we come together as one. We communicate in our own ways like family. It was a whole new experience. We also have Indian cast in the film; he also starred in “Paskal”. So we have that one Malaysia vibe.

8. Did any of y’all experience any mystical disturbance or ‘gangguan’ while filming or in real life?

Elvina Chua: Before starring in this film, I have taken the role as a ghost before in dramas and telemovies previously. I have never experienced any supernatural entities, but during filming, there were times when the director suddenly rushed to wrap the shooting quickly for the night. It was so sudden that you could feel that the atmosphere was not good. I do feel the eeriness because sometimes we shoot our scenes at hospitals or cemeteries. It is a challenge and it was a good experience but so far I have never personally encountered any entity face to face or anything like that.

Shiqin Kamal: I have never experienced any disturbance so far. I even prayed so that I would never have to experience the ‘gangguan’ or anything of that sort. I always have a clear mind and set my mind to not even think of any ghosts or supernatural beings while filming. I do believe in ghosts, it’s just that I prefer to have a positive mindset and not indulge myself in disturbing thoughts.

Zahiril Adzim: I think the “Ada Hantu” team was quite lucky and ‘protected’ from all these disturbances excluding this one particular time when I got hurt while filming. During filming, there was this one scene where I needed to kick down the door and jump into the room. So, during rehearsal, everything was set, as in we know the momentum of the jump, where to position myself during the landing and all the calculations have been set. So, when I jumped on the first take, I suddenly felt a force pushing me from behind. So, the calculations were missed when the extra force was applied. So I landed wrongly and sprained my ankle. The team was asking me if I was okay but I didn’t tell them the real story at the time because I’m the one who felt it. So, when we returned to the hotel, I told them what happened but I was still trying to think positively, maybe it was just my imagination. However, a week later, after I finished filming “Ada Hantu”, I went to shoot for a different film at the same location that we filmed the previous scene. And I experienced the disturbance in a more intense way. We were disturbed to the maximum level to the point that the entity made an appearance in front of us. I was filming for another horror movie at the time at the same bungalow, the same location that we had shot “Ada Hantu” and at the time I saw the entity standing behind a crew member. I was in disbelief because while filming “Ada Hantu”, we were fine.

We were gradually ‘disturbed’ starting with the camera suddenly not functioning well, our director’s car windscreen shattered. We tried to keep our heads clear, but the more that we thought positively, the more ‘they’ disturbed us until we finally decided that we can’t continue shooting at the location. During the last of filming, the entity suddenly appeared behind a crew member. At the time one talent was doing makeup as a ghost, so I waited in the living room of the bungalow. I saw an entity very much resembling the talent standing at the stairs behind a crew member. I immediately looked elsewhere and at the time, someone noticed my action. After I was done changing, a crew approached me and asked, “Why did you act that way just now?”. I dismissed the question and he insisted that I answer truthfully. Then he asked me, “Did you see something? Do you see that thing?”. I answered yes and he said, “Bob (Zahiril), I saw it too. The thing was right beside me.” So, it was not only me who noticed the presence of the ghost, everyone else noticed it too. But the thing is, this disturbance is actually quite normal. Our intention is to work and to entertain audiences so we just need to persevere through this challenge.

Get ready to be spooked and indulge in exciting local fare you can’t miss as “Ada Hantu” finally premieres exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar on 13th August.

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#OhMyEnglish: Would You Like Some Scissors Salad?

Oh dear, this has certainly gone completely out of hand.

Late yesterday, an image of an English menu from a Parliament staff dinner went viral, and not because it boasts impressive dishes. But rather, “culinary art” of a different kind. You may or may not have seen it being shared on your Facebook news feed:

As seen in the picture above, the menu listed a suspicious “Scissors Salad” appetiser. Which probably meant “Caesar Salad” and not indicating a salad prepared by Edward Scissorhands.

The #OhMyEnglish boo-boo led to Malaysian netizens taking turns to take jabs at it, sparking an Internet meme. Popular pizza franchise Pizza Hut retweeted the “Scissors Salad” image and quipped, “We don’t have ‘scissors salad’ but we do have Caesar Salad. #OhMyEnglish #CaesarSalad.”

We don't have 'Scissors Salad', but we do have Caesar Salad 😏 #ohmyenglish #caesarsalad pic.twitter.com/WWLU814Ro0

— Pizza Hut Malaysia (@pizzahutmsia) November 24, 2015

While other Malaysian netizens joked that the “killer dish” could be “perhaps a bit too sharp for the palate” and “sounds like something I’d serve to my frenemies“.

But the best reaction (so far) has to be from Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who posted a picture of a bowl of lettuce shaped like scissors on Twitter:

Couldn't resist. Hidop scissors salad! pic.twitter.com/GomEZFkSbM

— Khairy Jamaluddin 🇲🇾🌺 (@Khairykj) November 24, 2015

Did anyone also notice the obviously misspelled crème brûlée (“Cream Brule”) on the menu? #OhMyEnglish indeed.

Meanwhile, Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee has confirmed via his Facebook page that there were no scissors in the salad.


Hype’s Now Playing: Pharrell Williams — Come Get It Bae

Mr. Happy, Pharrell Williams, released the music video for his new single, “Come Get It Bae,” on July 23rd and like his previous video, “Happy” — “Come Get It Bae” is full of fun and funky moves!

The video also features a cameo from none other than “Wrecking Ball” crooner Miley Cyrus, who provides guest vocals on the track. The video opens with a title card stating “beauty has no expiration date” and from there it goes on to show girls dancing around a large loft while Pharrell films them on a Super 8 camera.