#OutOfControl: BIGBANG T.O.P’s Movie Posters & Stills Released

VIPs (as fans of BIGBANG are lovingly known), T.O.P might be in the military right now, but you’ll be able to meet him through the upcoming action film “Out Of Control (失控幽灵飞车)“.

The German-Chinese thriller, which stars BIGBANG’s T.O.P, Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi, and Michael Trevino, has dropped several movie posters and stills ahead of its premiere.

Starring T.O.P (real name Choi Seung Hyun) as a Korean top cop and Cecilia Cheung as a celebrated film and martial arts star, the movie throws the characters into chaos as they are “ensnared by a dangerous plot while visiting the Berlin Film Festival”, explained Variety. It was also revealed that T.O.P and Cecilia Cheung’s characters used to be engaged.

The photos released give us a look at T.O.P as a skilled Interpol agent. We see him standing amidst scenes of explosions and car crashes while Cecilia Cheung is as chic as ever in her role. Michael Trevino also makes an appearance in some of the posters and movie stills.

The big budget film, shot in Cologne, Duesseldorf, Wuppertal, Bad Oeynhausen, Berlin, and Aldenhoven, was co-directed by Axel Sand as well as Richard Lin, based on a script by Andreas Heckmann.

“Out Of Control” was scheduled for release in Deccember 2016 but has been postponed to a later date.


#AHFODtour: Coldplay Concert Tickets Being Resold For RM24K

Unless you’ve living under a rock, you’ve probably heard that Coldplay will be bringing their successful “A Head Full Of Dreams Tour” to South East Asia next year.

Although Malaysia was skipped from the list (yet again!), many Malaysians were hopeful to see the Chris Martin-fronted band perform in The Lion City on 1st April 2017 before their “indefinite hiatus”. Unfortunately for many, seeing them live is now a distant dream – unless you have a truck load of cash to spare.

The first few batches of pre-sale tickets were available for Citibank cardholders to purchase on Thursday (17th November), while Live Nation Lushington’s mailing list subscribers had a 1 day advantage to purchase their tickets on Sunday (20th November), before the final batch of tickets were released this morning (Monday, 21st November).

Sadly, the 12,000 pre-sale tickets – ranging from SGD78 (RM240) to SGD298 (RM914) – were sold out within 1 hour on Thursday itself, while the 3rd and final batch of public-sale tickets to Coldplay’s upcoming concert at National Stadium were snapped up within 90 minutes of going on sale at 10am today. Wow!

As a result, many would turn to sites like stubhub or mobile classifieds app Carousell for a ticket re-sell. The good news is, there are people selling off their tickets. The bad news? Some tickets are being sold up to RM24K each!

Gosh! Who would be willing to fork out that much cash for a concert? *Sigh*

To quote Coldplay’s “Fix You”, “When you try your best, but you don’t succeed…”

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From Sephora To G-SHOCK: Lit Beauty & Fashion Drops To Cop This Week!

With the end of Ramadan fast approaching, it’s time to start preparing for the joyous Hari Raya celebration this 2023!

For Muslims everywhere, Hari Raya is not just about self-reflection or the togetherness with family and friends, it’s also an opportunity for you to look your best, whether it’s dressing up in new clothes, or giving your skincare routine an upgrade so your skin will be looking flawless throughout the festivities.

So here are some dope new beauty and fashion drops you gotta check out!

There are many ways for us to achieve youthful skin, but the best choice out of all of them, is no doubt, Paula’s Choice. You can now teach your skin how to stay youthful with the new Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster! The new booster harnesses the newly researched peptide technology to target key proteins in skin’s extracellular matrix to support collagen and elastin production.

This cutting-edge serum is formulated with pro-collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, and amino acids to nourish, firm, and support facial architecture. It visibly lifts, firms, and smooths wrinkles in as little as 15 minutes with restructuring peptides that deliver long-lasting results. It also softens the appearance of expression lines and targets essential structural features for a more youthful appearance and feel.

Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster is exclusive to paulaschoice.my.

Paula’s Choice is also available on Shopee, Lazada and Zalora.

Packed with powerhouse anti-agers, Tatcha has developed its most powerful wrinkle-smoothing formula yet: an easy-to use, kind-to-skin serum that visibly firms, boosts radiance, and supports collagen-depleted skin, all while hydrating and reducing redness.

This smooth serum contains a combination of plant-based retinol alternatives, recycled cranberry extract, and sea fennel, all of which are designed to increase skin elasticity and bounce. It delivers hydration by collaborating with silk extracts and Tatcha’s Hadasei-3™ to make skin of any age look radiant and refreshed.

Tatcha The Silk Serum will be available exclusively at Sephora Malaysia from 11th May 2023.

As the staple one-stop place for all things beauty, it’s time to give yourself a moment of kindness, a moment of self-care, a moment of love, and a moment of joy – with Sephora! From now to 10th May, Sephora Malaysia is offering an irresistible selection of festive beauty and fashion products and services – from discovering trending Raya looks and ‘balik kampung’ skincare routine recommendations to festive-themed makeup services and masterclasses available in-store.

Moreover, Sephora has also joined forces with one of Malaysia’s biggest fashion powerhouses, Rizman Ruzaini, to create headscarves using three unique patterns exclusive to Sephora. Inspired by the humbling and feminine qualities of Islamic geometry, batik, and nature, these floral motifs represent the uniqueness and diversity of women.

From now to 10th May, you can enjoy gift with purchase specials:

Get an exclusive Sephora x Rizman Ruzaini headscarf with a min. spend of RM500.

Get a set of Sephora Raya packets with a min. spend of RM200.

Enjoy 15% off SEPHORA COLLECTION Raya Gift Sets in Sephora stores and get them wrapped in an exclusive Sephora Raya sleeve for that extra special touch.

Marking its 50th Anniversary, Y’s, the very first brand launched by world-renowned designer Yohji Yamamoto, will be collaborating with Casio G-SHOCK for the new GM-S5600YS-1.

Yohji Yamamoto’s philosophy of “conquering fashion through antithesis” results in works that stand the test of time, challenge taboos, and present radical conviction. He envisioned Y’s as a brand focused on the usefulness of everyday wear, which is why the new GM-S5600YS-1 cooperation model comes in two designs. It has a metal bezel, a resin band, and an extra custom-made cloth band that can be simply swapped to suit the mood and style of the day, as well as a cover to protect the watch face.

Available now on the Casio E-Commerce website and G–SHOCK Store @Lalaport, Kuala Lumpur from 12th April 2023 onwards, this new GM-S5600YS-1 will be retailing at RM1,395.

Crocs is celebrating the diversity of the Muslim community and self-expression this Ramadan with its iconic clogs, slides, and Jibbitz™ charms, as well as an uplifting multi-channel campaign titled “Share the Joy”! Yes, it’s time to celebrate your expression in the most authentically Crocs way with their unique styles, including the Classic Clogs, Platform Clogs, Kids’ Clogs, Classic Crush Sandals and Classic Crush Clogs. Give some personality to your shoes and make them your own with Jibbitz™ charms priced at RM29 per piece.

The campaign opens with a hero video that highlights the diversity of the Muslim community, spreading the idea of “Share the Joy,” which was first launched in 2023. The multi-channel activation, created in collaboration with London-based creative agency Stereo and community and creative agency Muslim Sisterhood, supports diversity via a real perspective, echoing Crocs’ aim of encouraging everyone to feel comfortable in their own shoes.

Classic Clogs, Classic Platform Clogs, Classic Crush Sandals and Jibbitz™ charms are available at all Crocs retail stores nationwide.

CIGA Design, the award-winning Chinese watch maker, has released the new Gilding edition of their famed Blue Planet series. It’s the same collection that took home the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in 2019, and it includes the world’s first non-synchronous trailing technology.

The new Blue Planet Gilding edition, made completely of ceramic with a 24K pure gold dial, is truly an art piece that combines graceful style and innovative technology. It also has the advantage of being less likely to scratch and constantly looking pristine.

Retailing at RM9,900, the new Blue Planet Gilding version is now available on the Red Army Watches website and at stores located in Pavilion KL and One Utama.

SANDRO has collaborated with French artist and designer Louis Barthélemy to express his universe in a capsule collection alongside Evelyne Chetrite, Founder and Artistic Director of SANDRO. Dividing his time between Paris, Egypt, and Morocco, he demonstrates deep commitment to the preservation and revival of traditional craftsmanship. The love for Morocco and an intimate attachment to its crafts were the points of encounter with Evelyne Chetrite.

Evelyne wanted the collection to be in the spirit of a modern fresco. Louis imagined bright graphics inspired by scenes of Moroccan life. These graphics came to life on fluid materials, silk for shirts, T-shirts and scarves, or polyester for shorts and pants. Two Kasbah bags, one of which is entirely hand-embroidered, also reflect this dreamlike universe.

Head on to SANDRO’s website to learn more about the collection.

UNIQLO is back with a new collaboration with designer Maiko Kurogouchi, creator of the Mame Kurogouchi fashion brand. Bringing together designs with pleasantly curved lines and exclusive UNIQLO fabrics and production techniques, it’s a collection with sensual materials, cuttings, and colour tones. LifeWear that is elegant, while at the same time lightweight and comfortable, brings excitement to everyday, casual moments.

The UNIQLO and Mame Kurogouchi Spring/Summer 2023 collection will be dropping on Friday, 28th April. The full lineup will be available at UNIQLO stores in Malaysia, and the uniqlo.com online store.

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London Indie Trio The xx Reveals Secrets Behind “I See You”

Best known for their distinct and unique minimalistic sound that blends the likes of indie pop, indie electronic, dream pop, and electronic rock, The xx prides themselves in being rare breed of musicians.

Consisting of members Romy Madley Croft (guitar, vocals), Oliver Sim (bass, vocals) and Jamie Smith (beats, MPC, production), The xx first gained attention after posting demos on their Myspace page. By 2009, the band released their debut album, “xx”, with the British independent record label Young Turks, and was met with critical acclaim.

Fun fact: The xx recorded their first album in a small garage that was part of the XL Recordings studio, often at night, which contributed to the low, whispery nature of the album.

It didn’t take long before The xx was invited to play at 5 of North America’s most popular music festivals e.g. Coachella, Sasquatch, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits Their 2nd album, “Coexist”, was released in 2012 to positive reviews, peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200. And now, after a 4-year lapse between releases, the band finally released their long-awaited 3rd album, “I See You” in January 2017. “I See You” debuted to critical acclaim and peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200.

The xx’s “I See You” album release saw them go on a promotional concert tour around Europe, North America, and yes, you guessed it: Asia. During the Singaporean leg of their tour, The xx took a little time off their busy schedules to talk about the making of “I See You”.

It has been almost 4years since your last gig in Singapore! What are you guys most excited about your return?

Jamie: When you are touring so much it’s really the people and the crowd that you play to that makes a place memorable. The vibe of the crowd in Singapore always makes us want to come back.

Would you like to convey a special message to Asian fans who flew from their respective countries to see you in concert?

Jamie: Thanks so much for coming, we really appreciate the effort it takes. I’d love to travel more around Asia and play more places soon.

The xx’s album artwork is often very striking and unusual. Can you tell us about the concept behind the reflective cover of “I See You”?

Jamie: There is an obvious literal reference to the album title with the the physical album being a mirror. The title references how your friends can often be a mirror for how you see yourself.

In terms of songwriting and recording, how differently did the band approach the making of “I See You”?

Romy: In terms of song writing, Oliver and I worked very closely together this time, in the past we’ve always mainly written separately. I think it just shows a natural progression in our friendship, in our openness, in our self-confidence to be able to sit in the room together and write a song. For some reason we always used to find that quite scary even though we’re best friends, so I’ve loved working and writing together. We give each other notes and tell each other if it’s not good which is cool. The recording, we travelled to different places around the world this time rather than London, we went to Marfa in Texas, we went to Los Angeles, Reykjavik in Iceland. It was amazing to get out of London and see some different parts of the world, it was very inspiring.

I think that the lyrics in the new album is probably the most tender and romantic ever for The xx, with songs describing love and relationships. Would you like to share with us about the lyrics concept of the new album?

Romy: We always love writing about relationships and emotions and the way that people make you feel or the way that you feel about people. For the first time on this album we’ve written about how we feel and how we see ourselves. So it’s a slightly different idea in some of the songs – like “A Violent Noise” and “Replica”, Oliver is sort of questioning himself and the way that he’s going about his life, and any struggles he’s gone through. And I think that’s really brave and I think that’s great that he was really open to facing some things that were troubling him on this album. So I think facing things is a theme as well as romance.

Congrats on the “I Dare You” music video! It’s fantastically tonal, the visuals and colour choices are great, and also features a solid cast e.g. Millie Bobby Brown, Ashton Sanders, and Paris Jackson. How did it all come together?

Romy: Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the video. I think that we are very proud of it, and we are very proud the whole series we did with the director Alasdair McLellan. We did three videos and this last one was a collaboration with Raf Simons from Calvin Klein who creatively directed it, so the cast are I guess ambassadors for Calvin Klein and they are doing work with them so Raf wanted to have them in the video. And we were up for it because we were excited to have actors in the video because we’d never had that before, we were excited that people could bring an acting element to the video. We’re just really big fans of Alasdair’s photography and it was amazing to do the music videos with him because it’s not something he’s really done before and we’re so pleased with how that turned out. We really wanted to explore that warmer side of ourselves, I think we felt like maybe sometimes we’d been perceived as quite cold a bit like vampires in the past and I think we wanted to show that behind closed doors when we’re alone our friendship is very warm, and we’re warm people. The sunlight and the youth and those elements just show a reflection of what we’re really like.

Being such a tight trio throughout all these years, what do you think is the biggest change or growth you’ve experienced as a team from The xx album era to your most recent work?

Romy: I think that we’ve all grown up together very closely. Oliver and I have been friends since we were three years old and we met Jamie when we were 11 years old. And we’ve been there for each other through all different aspects of growing up and I think that in the past few years whilst we were making “I See You” we were growing into adults and having to be more accountable for things that we were doing. Having more responsibility and also just trying to take better care of ourselves, and sometimes that’s hard. I think I realised that it’s important to give friendships attention and to give them love, just as much as you would with your romantic relationships. And I’m really grateful that we’ve learnt to appreciate each other, and I think that’s very special.

“I See You” feels a lot more intimate and happy than the previous album. Do you think it’s because you had more fun in doing this album?

Romy: Yes, I do. I think we have had a lot more fun, and worried less, and a lot less scared about what we should do, what people expect from us, what we expect from ourselves and just making music that we enjoy and experimenting and not worrying too much about how we were going to play it live. And that’s been fun. Obviously it’s very difficult making an album too, there were definitely some stressful aspects, it wasn’t all just fun times, but in comparison I’d say this has been my favourite album to make.

With this album, it seems there’s a new direction emerging: of transformation and breaking barriers. Was this a necessary progression for the band?

Romy: Yes, I definitely think so. We all just let go of the barriers that we had set around ourselves. We always had this rule that everything we recorded had to be playable live, exactly as it was on the album, and in a lot of ways I’m grateful for that – it shaped our sound and made it what it is – the fact that we don’t have layers and layers of instruments was because of that rule to make it minimal and playable live. But we never set out to be a minimal band, or a simplistic band, it was just our own limitations that made us sound that way. I think that we let go of that slightly on this album and we were like “let’s just see how that sounds”, still with the intention of not filling up the sound, because we like having a spacious sound, but we were just less strict with that rule.

You had a big break between albums. When it’s one like “Coexist” that was so well received, do you feel a lot of pressure to release something similar in terms of the sound?

Jamie: I felt less pressure in terms of sound this time. I think we were really enjoying making music for ourselves and feeling confident that it was good rather than thinking about how others might receive it or compare it to our previous records.

Romy: It’s funny because I think people often say to us “that band sounds like they’re influenced by you,” and we’re the last people to realise. I always like music, and then my friends say they totally sound like they’re ripping us off, which is funny. I think if I’m honest and when I take a step back and I look at how pop music is different now from when we started, I can see that things are more simple and spacious, and I’ve definitely heard my guitar sound on a few big pop songs which has been kind of surreal. Maybe they could’ve just asked me to play on the album? Haha.

Looking back and examining the present, how would you say you’ve grown and evolved as artistes and as individuals?

Oliver: I think we’ve grown a lot in confidence, it was something we were all lacking quite a bit. It partly has come with growing up but I believe this band has helped us with it a great deal. We’re still far from being the most confident people around but we’ve come a long way.

For your latest music video, “I Dare You”, you guys mentioned that it was a “love letter to Los Angeles”. What is it about the city that inspires you guys and your music?

Romy: I love Los Angeles, it is a place that we went to record and we chose it because of those blue skies and the sunlight and it was just so different to London. There’s a lot of history there musically, a lot of inspiring people and inspiring music around. It was an incredible experience for us, it was November and it was sunny and we had a swimming pool at the studio, it was like living the dream really. Growing up in London with grey skies and recording in tiny one rooms without any windows, it was a big change. When we’d finished recording there I stayed on and I ended up spending chunks of time there, so I lived there on and off whilst we were recording “I See You” and I had an amazing time. It really represents a time I was getting to know myself off stage and feeling connected to my past and dealing with a few things, the losses that I’ve had and made me sad – it was a healing place for me.

What do ya’ll think is the bravest thing the band has done before?

Oliver: I look back at our earliest shows and I don’t know where that bravery to get up on stage came from. It didn’t come naturally for any of us, we were shy teenagers with bags of insecurities, but will still got up there, did it and continued at it until it became comfortable.

In three 3, describe your latest record.

Thank you Love Da Records and The xx for the opportunity!

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

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#FathersDay2015: Treat Your Dad To A Perfect Dinner At The Signature, The Roof

It’s virtually impossible to surprise your dad on Father’s Day anymore because he knows you just as well as you know yourself. Well, lucky you, the days of buying Dad a gift for Father’s Day are over. It’s time to give the man of the house a break from his work by treating him a spectacular dinner instead!

This Father’s Day (21st June), you can ensure that your Dad will be filled with good food and happiness by treating him to a free meal specially prepared by the award-winning chefs at The Signature, The Roof.

In fact, The Signature wants your dad to be spoilt for choice as the free meal that he can choose from includes the Louisiana Buttermilk Deep Fried Chicken, Ayam Percik, Giant Meatball Bomb Linguine, Seafood Aglio Olio, and Fish & Chips.

And that’s not all. Every dad will stand a chance to win a car makeover package worth RM2,000 from Auto Garage Concept. The lucky dad will be selected from a lucky draw where the prize includes a premium exterior wash, interior carpets vacuuming, polishing, paint protection, and interior treatment.

Signature Father’s Day special is open for dinner on 21st June from 6pm to 10pm. To avoid disappointment, please book in advance by calling 03-7726 1588 (Mon – Fri; 10am – 6pm or Sat and Sun; 4pm – 10pm).


#Vape: Vaping Bans In Johor & Kelantan Prompt Selangor To Follow Suit

The end is nigh for the vaping culture in Malaysia.

Ever since Malaysian Health Ministry announced its intentions to ban or regulate vaping, doctors, professionals, and the “vapers” communities have been locked in the debate on whether or not vaping is safe or healthy.

Source: TimeAfter Johor announced that all sale of vape products including its equipment and liquids will be officially banned starting next year, Kelantan followed suit and became the 2nd state to ban vape stores from next year onwards.

Now, Selangor may become the next state to ban vaping because in a report by The Star Online, Selangor Mentri Besar Azmin Ali said that the government will initiate discussions next year to consider the possibility of imposing a ban on vaping in the state.

Source: The Malay Mail OnlineAccording to Azmin, they will be holding a workshop early in the year to study how vaping affects a person’s health.

The workshop will involve the Health Ministry, youth groups and several non-governmental organisations to look into the health implications of vaping.

“We will look at the conclusions from the workshop before deciding on anything,” he told reporters when met after chairing the weekly Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES) meeting in Shah Alam yesterday (17th December).

Azmin also said that his administration did not want to take drastic measures without first getting feedback from professionals. “We want to hear them out first because the people’s health have to be prioritised. We also do not want any social implications if this matter is not handled properly,” he reportedly added.

Source: NewsweekNews of a ban on vaping first surfaced earlier in November after Health Minister Datuk Seri S Subramaniam revealed that vaping will be banned once they have settled the legalities. The ministry then announced that they were looking to implement an excise tax on e-cigarettes and vapes.

Though Malaysia’s Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the Cabinet had decided against imposing a ban on electronic cigarettes/vape or vaping, raids on vape outlets were conducted nationwide. Vaping, or the use of e-cigarettes, is officially banned in all government schools and public universities as well. A vape trader was recently charged under the Poisons Act 1952 in Kota Baru as well. The case is believed to be the first case against vaping.

Source: The Straits TimesWhat do you think of the ban on vaping? Do you think that it should be banned? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.

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Gong SEE! 10 New Chinese New Year Movies To Watch With Your Loved Ones!

Lunar New Year is almost here, and compared to the past two years, 2023 feels particularly cheerful, since most of us can now travel overseas or go back to our hometowns without a lot of travel restrictions. This means gatherings with loved ones, reunion dinners, card games, and of course – ang pao! But aside from the many get-togethers and feasts you’re about to enjoy, you can also look forward to all the heartwarming and captivating Chinese movies that are coming out this CNY.

Whether you’re celebrating CNY with firecrackers or just a cozy night-in with the fam, it’s always a good idea to put on a festive movie to keep you entertained, while also maintaining the cheerful vibes around the household. Here are 10 Chinese-language movies that you should watch this CNY to put you in the festive mood:

Following the success of their 2008 collaborative film “Money No Enough,” the legendary trio Henry Thia, Jack Neo, and Mark Lee rejoin in their latest film, “The King of Musang King”! The movie centres around Mao Shan (played by Jack Neo), a durian farmer who seeks to extend his business worldwide under threats from the “Three Heavenly Kings”. He then helps his neighbour, Mei Lian (played by Yeo Yann Yann), a durian farmer, to increase her harvests, while falling in love with her. Jin Shui attempts to turn Mei Lian’s children against Mao Shan, while Mao Shan attempts to salvage their businesses and win Mei Lian’s heart.

“Someday Or One Day,” the widely-awaited film adaptation of the 2019 Taiwanese TV drama, is finally here! Directed by the same people who gave you the hit sci-fi fantasy romance drama: Huang Tien Jen, the film stars Alice Ko, Greg Hsu, Patrick Shih, Jin Shi Jia, Berry Kuo and Chang Chia-Hui. The movie takes place in 2009, and it revolves around Huang Yu Xuan, who is struggling to deal with the death of her boyfriend. A mysterious cassette gives her a special ability to travel back in time. The question remains: Will she be able to change his fate?

This film, featuring household names such as Mark Lee, Jack Lim, Jaspers Lai, and Henry Thia, is a must-watch for Chinese New Year! The plot revolves around a criminal dubbed “Godfather” who sneaks out of jail to fulfil a mission labelled “Lottery Heist” assigned to him by his master. He then invites an unsuspecting actor to participate in an extraordinary criminal scheme to steal a RM100 million lottery grand prize. The plot involves swapping lotto balls in order to win the prize, but it soon becomes clear that Godfather’s employer intends to kill everyone once the operation is completed. As a result, the Godfather and his new recruit must devise a plan to save their lives while retaining the money for themselves.

“Sakra” is the latest film adaptation of the iconic wuxia novel “Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils” by Jin Yong. It’s directed and produced, and stars one of Hong Kong’s top-billing actors, Donnie Yen, who envisions Sakra as the start of a compelling franchise. The plot tells the story of protagonist Qiao Feng (played by Donnie Yen), the courageous leader of the “beggar clan”, who he is accused of being of Khitan descent and labelled as a traitor. The other two leading characters are Duan Yu, a cheerful young prince who avoids learning martial arts due to his hatred for conflict, and Xu Zhu, a Shaolin monk who is a skilled martial artist torn between two clans. As they make their way into each other’s lives, these three characters embark on a personal adventure.

If you enjoyed the 2009 smash film “Little Sunshine,” you can now look forward to this heartwarming new adaptation. The story revolves around Xiao Pang, a young child with no interest in schoolwork and an insatiable appetite. In an effort to motivate him, his parents promise him a new phone if he performs well in his tests, which he accomplishes. His parents seek help from a child psychologist after he develops a phone addiction, but Xiao Pang goes missing just as they are about to leave for the appointment.

Following the popularity of “The Wandering Earth,” Frant Gwo has released “The Wandering Earth 2,” a prequel to the original film. The film, starring Andy Lau and Wu Jing, is set in a time when humanity has constructed massive engines on the earth’s surface to discover a new home. But, in order to save the earth, young people must once again step forward and begin a race against time.

Director Chiu Keng Guan returns with a new comedic drama, “Ma, I Love You”, after the release of “Think Big Big” in 2018. The film, which stars Malaysian actors Hazell Siow Li Xuan, Ong Ai Leng, and fellow influencer Phei Yong, delivers a fascinating story between a mother and her daughter. When Mei Ling (played by Ong Ai Leng) learns that her daughter Kiki (played by Hazell Siow Li Xuan) plans to continue her studies in France, she decides to learn French and earn more money in order to accompany Kiki.

“A Guilty Conscience” is a comedy drama directed by Jack Ng, who previously wrote for “Anita” and “Cold War 2.” It stars Dayo Wong, Tse Kwan-ho, Louise Wong, Fish Liew, and Wong Man-tak. Following the discovery that a famous model is abusing her daughter, the rich and famous, as well as the legal field, rush to take sides. Though a few renowned judges and lawyers try to help the mistreated daughter, the supermodel’s cover-up and her connections make it practically impossible.

“Ride On” is directed by Larry Yang, one of China’s top filmmakers, and stars the Kung Fu Master himself, Jackie Chan. In this new action comedy,  Jackie Chan stars as a washed-up stuntman attempting to make ends meet while caring for his beloved stunt horse, Red Hare. When he learns that his horse will be auctioned off to pay his debts, he seeks assistance from his estranged daughter, (Liu Haocun) and her lawyer boyfriend. During a real-life brawl with debt collectors, however, they become overnight media sensations when their fight goes viral.

Another Chinese fantasy flick, “Five Hundred Miles” stars Lei Jiayin, Xiaofei Zhang, and Zhang Youhao. The film explores the question: If you could change your family, would you? When Zhong Da (Lei Jiayin) is placed into an arranged marriage with Jin Hao (Xiaofei Zhang), he unexpectedly switches bodies with one of Jin Hao’s admirers, a young man named Lu Xiao Gu (Zhang Youhao), while also switching families. This sets them on a life-changing journey full of joy and tears.


“Lanterns” Series: Plot, Characters & DCU’s Next Big Villain Explained

A while back ago, DC Studios CEO James Gunn dropped a major bombshell of an announcement on the DC Universe (DCU) community. As part of his 8 to 10-year plan for the franchise, he announced 5 new films and 5 new TV series that Warner Bros. Discovery are currently developing. Among the 5 new TV shows, Gunn confirmed one revolving around DC’s most iconic team of intergalactic space cops, the Green Lanterns, called “Lanterns”. In 2020, HBO Max also announced that a “Green Lantern” series was in development but not much has been updated since. In fact, we were getting worried that with the new shake-ups at DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery that the series would be scrapped altogether.

Thankfully, Gunn and company have decided to go forward with the series while adding some exciting new details as well. He’s also promised that the series will not just be a neat, little side-project but that the events in the show will have major ramifications for the wider DCU. So get your ring and read your oath because we’re breaking down the story, characters and potential secret villain in the DCU’s “Lanterns”!

For those who may have forgotten Ryan Reynold’s awful “Green Lantern” film, hopefully so, here’s a refresher about everything you need to know about the Green Lantern Corp. The Green Lantern Corp is an intergalactic peace-keeping organisation with each member given an insanely powerful weapon, their Green Lantern Ring. The rings give their wielders the power to create forcefields, shoot concussive energy blasts and, most importantly, create constructs made of hard light. These constructs and their properties are limited only by their users’ imagination. Depending on how skilled a Lantern is, they could create anything from a sword to a giant mecha suit from pure willpower alone.

All Green Lanterns draw their power from a central power battery on the planet Oa and answer to a group of little blue people called the Guardians of the Universe. Okay, so this is the weird but also really interesting part. Within all life in the universe is something called the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum, an energy source that is shared by all sentient life in the universe. The Green Lantern Rings and battery are powered by willpower, which is represented as the colour green in the spectrum. There are other colours that represent other aspects of life such as fear, hope, and life, but we’ll discuss that later. So, when the ring notices that there’s a living creature who is brave, noble and possesses a strong will, they are chosen to become a Green Lantern.

Each Green Lantern is assigned a different sector within the universe to govern, Earth lies in Sector 2814. Among all the Green Lanterns, Hal Jordan of Sector 2814 is considered the greatest among them all. A former military test pilot who rises through the ranks to become the leader of the entire corps. He’s one of the main characters of the upcoming “Lanterns” series. Joining him is another member of the corps, the one fans of Bruce Timm’s “Justice League” animated series would recognise, John Stewart. He’s a former U.S. Marine and a key member of the Justice League.

Gunn also mentions that there are a few other Lanterns “peppered” in the series. Other Earth-based Green Lanterns that could be included in the series are characters like Simon Baz, Jessica Cruz, Kyle Rayner and everyone’s favourite red-headed loudmouth Guy Gardner. One Green Lantern that we’re fairly certain will appear in the series either in a cameo or in a supporting role is Jordan’s friend and mentor, Kilowog. It wouldn’t be a Green Lantern series without Hal being called a poozer, would it?

While stories of Green Lantern Corps typically deal with members visiting and policing various, exotic locations in far-off galaxies, the story of “Lanterns” is mostly situated on Earth. According to James Gunn, the series will mirror the tone and style of HBO’s dark and gritty “True Detective” series. This was also echoed by co-Ceo Peter Safran. Safran also went on to say that the series “plays a really big role leading us into the main story that we’re telling across our film and television”. Gunn in his video announcement mentions that both Hal Jordan and John Stewart are set to discover a “terrifying mystery that ties into our larger story of the DCU”.

Much like how “Loki” is key to understanding “The Multiverse Saga” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it seems that “Lanterns” will reveal a key element of where Chapter 1 of the DCU is heading. Based on the fact that the story of “Lanterns” takes place on Earth and involves a terrifying mystery, we predict that the main villain of the series is the death-worshipping, necrophile William Hand, better known as the Black Hand. The Black Hand is a serial killer who would go on to create the Black Lantern Corps and unleash one of the greatest crises in the history of the DC Universe, the Blackest Night. “Lanterns” will most probably revolve around Hal Jordan and John Stewart uncovering a deadly conspiracy after a series of mysterious deaths on Earth. One that leads them to discover and stop the Black Hand’s rampage.

During a major crossover event called “Blackest Night”, Black Hand manages to unleash a being that represents death itself into the physical world. Within the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum, there are different entities or “gods” that embody different emotions or aspects of life. The being that embodies the concept of death within that spectrum is Nekron, the Lord of the Unliving. Alongside his servant Black Hand, Nekron would attempt to bring death to all life within the DC Universe by creating zombified puppets of our beloved heroes and villains.

At some point, Nekron even manages to possess nearly every member of the Justice League and Green Lantern Corps. It was only through Hal Jordan and his team comprised of various other Lantern Corps did they manage to defeat Nekron. The Blackest Night crossover event involves characters from all over the DC Universe joining forces to defeat their common enemy, death. Can you imagine a cinematic version of the event with Hal Jordan going up against a zombified Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman? Now that would be insanely cool!

As fans of Geoff Johns’s Green Lantern saga, we’re absolutely ecstatic that his stories are finally getting the full HBO treatment. If shows like “Peacemaker” and “The Last of Us” are any indication of production quality, then we can expect the Green Lantern’s light to shine bright on the network! Stay tuned for more news about the “Lanterns” and all things DCU.

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TomorrowLand Presents TomorrowWorld – Live Stream

If you’re missing out on TomorrowWorld 2013, this one’s for you.

Gina Star
Brillz
Deniz Koyu
R3hab
Chuckie
Fedde Le Grand
Porter Robinson
Sebastian Ingrosso
Tiësto
Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike

Dzeko & Torres
Wolfpack
Dyro
YVES V
NERVO
W&W
Alesso
Calvin Harris
Axwell
Afrojack
Afroki
Steve Aoki

Justin Jay
French Fries
J. Phlip
Blond:ish
George FitzGerald
Dusky7
Justin Martin
Cajmere
Claude VonStroke

For the full line up visit http://live.tomorrowworld.com/

The world’s most popular electronic dance music festival held in Belgium each year, TomorrowLand presents the first international edition of TomorrowWorld. A three-day music festival, TomorrowWorld marks the first European festival of its scale in America.


Concert Review: What We Like About “Urbanscapes 2019: Unlimited Grooves Festival Presents 777 Music” Festival

A crowd of over 1000 local city-goers came down to the Sentul Depot event space for the “Urbanscapes 2019″ Unlimited Grooves Festival Presents 777 Music” show to sing and dance the night away with 4 of indie music’s hottest acts; Lost Spaces, SOBS, Sunset Rollercoaster and Boy Pablo.

As part of U Mobile’s Unlimited Grooves initiative, the large telco service provider has brought Unlimited Grooves Festival for its 2nd year! Apart from the splendid line-up, we also got to enjoy other interesting activities while enjoying the live show – including basketball shooting game as well as skating at the roller rink, to name a few.

The event kicked off with the performance of our very own up-and-coming alternative rockstars, Lost Spaces. Despite being the opening act, they never failed to leave a good impression to the crowd. During the event, they wowed the fans with energetic renditions of their popular songs like “Bad Motel”, “35 mm” and “Soft Tides”.

Before continuing with their performance of their retro-driven single “Discohaze”, frontman Samuel Lopez asked the fans to dance and sing along with them, which in turn received loud cheering from everyone. They then closed their segment with “Fake Guitars” and “Boxset Girlfriend”.

Up next was city-pop band SOBS. The Singaporean-based band performed a string of their signature songs including “Vacation”, “Catflap”, “Astronomy” and “Eastbound”. Not only that, they also performed some of their latest singles as a special gift for their fans in Malaysia. Their performance include “Air Guitar”, “World Implode” and “LOML”. After thanking everyone for inviting them to the show, they then performed their last song for the night, “Telitale Signs”.

The lights went out in preparation for the next act, Sunset Rollercoaster. One of the most anticipated entertaners during the night, the 6-member Taiwanese band heated up the stage with a string of chilled and mellowed down performance of their hit songs including “Vanilla”, “Almost Mature”, “Burning Red” and “Greedy”. After addressing the audience, they continued heating up the stage with live performances of “Summum Bonum”, “Angel Disco Love”, before ending their segment with their most famous jam, “My Jinji”.

After Sunset Rollercoaster exited the stage, the lights started to dim once again. As the crew started to clear up the stage to make room for the final performer of the night, the audience started to chant “Pablo! Pablo! Pablo!” as they called out Boy Pablo on stage. A few moments later, the 5-member band appeared right in front of fans’ eyes to perform their songs “Fantasizing” and “IMREALLYTIRED”.

Die hard fans of the Norwegian ensemble started to go bananas as they sang along to each and every word of their songs including “Feeling Lonely”, “Ur Phone”, “JD’s Song”, “Sick Feeling” as well as the medley “Ready/Problems”, “Limitado” and “Beach House”.

Just when we thought the boys were running out of energy after the non-stop upbeat sequences, they took it up another notch with a series of energetic performances for songs including “Never Cared”, “Everytime”, “TKM”, “T-shirt”, and “50 souls”. The crowd continued to sing and dance along to their signature upbeat numbers along with the colourful lightings of the stage that accompanied the hot night.

Before they performed their last songs, vocalist Soy Pablo thanked everyone for having them here in our country. He then asked the fans to dance their heart out and enjoy the night. They then closed the show with performing “WTF” and “Dance Baby”.

We had a blast with @urbanscapes at the #UnlimitedGroovesFestival ??? We sang and danced until our hearts content. Thank you for an unforgettable experience ??? #ReconnectKL #sentuldepot #kualalumpur #malaysia

A post shared by  Sentul Depot (@sentuldepot) on Dec 4, 2019 at 5:49pm PST

We have no doubt that all the featuring artistes for this music festival have given their all-out efforts to entertain the crowd in attendance. If anything, this concert has made us appreciate their music even more!

Definitely looking forward for the next Urbanscapes ;)

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Heineken Thirst 2012: A Sneak Peek

Well, well. Aren’t you guys excited? We’re sure you’ve already heard by now that December is going to be massive, what with the mad hectic festive season and also, ALSO..the parties. And yes, our friends, Future Sound Asia, is at it again with the crazy planning for the annual Heineken Thirst event, slated to happen on 8th December 2012 (Saturday) at Sepang International Circuit!

Expanding into new dimensions of music and creativity with a series of exclusives, this year Heineken Thirst brings you TWO stages of passion and excitement against a backdrop of towering light sculptures and creative wish fulfillment. Some of us have waited all year for this and even as the acts are being announced sporadically, it doesn’t get any less exciting.

Aren’t you curious too about who else is coming for Heineken Thirst 2012 and about these following acts’ live gig in Kuala Lumpur (some, for the first time)?:

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This year promises to develop those themes ever further at a specially designed Heineken Thirst festival site featuring some of the latest innovations in creative technologies, digital landscaping and interactive collaborative installation pieces.

In another Heineken Thirst exclusive, the festival will feature a huge sculptural centrepiece in the form of Robert James Buchholz’s Wish, fresh from its appearance at this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, a 17-metre high installation consisting of three LED lit flowers that pulse in time to the music.

Add to that the presence of the world’s leading DJ celebrity snapper Rukes, the self-taught LA based photographer who tours the EDM festivals of the world with his lens and you have the recipe for a night of supercharged thrill-seeking and discovery on December 8 at Heineken Thirst, Malaysia’s leading electronic music festival.

Yeah. You could say that Malaysia’s leading dance party planners/organizers definitely know how to throw a good party and spoil the crowd silly. Now what are you gonna do?

Venue: Sepang International Circuit (SIC)

Don’t forget to LIKE Future Sound Asia’s Facebook page! Alternatively, you could hit up stalk Future Sound Asia’s Twitter account or Heineken Malaysia’s Twitter account for Thirst 2012 news.


#ParisAttacks: Facebook Sets Up Safety Check For Paris Friends

Facebook launched a check-in feature on Saturday (14th Nov) to let people know that friends in Paris were safe after a series of bombings and shootings in the French capital killed at least 120 people on Friday.

The “Paris Terror Attacks” safety check let people signal whether they were out of harm’s way, then notified all those they know at the leading social network.

“Quickly find and connect with friends in the area,” a message at the Facebook Safety Check page read. “Mark them safe if you know they’re OK.”

The feature also allowed people to check which friends listed as being in Paris had not yet checked in as safe.

The death toll in the “unprecedented” series of attacks across Paris climbed through the night Friday.

Police said around 100 people were killed at the Bataclan music venue in eastern Paris alone, where one witness said an attacker yelled, “Allahu Akbar!” (God is greatest).

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Hype’s Exclusive: A Little “Getting To Know” Kaskade

Last week, one of America’s best DJs/producers, Kaskade (real name Ryan Raddon) brought the house down at Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur. But prior to that, we had the opportunity to speak with the EDM maestro and he answered some of the many, many burning questions that we had for him including his current musical style, the reason behind the change, his upcoming collaborations (because we know how awesome the ones that he did with deadmau5, Skrillex, and Swanky Tunes were), and his dark K-Pop secret.

Dark K-Pop secret. Yup, you best believe it:

Welcome back, Ryan. It has been like, five years since you were last in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. What took you so long?

“I don’t know, I’m very busy. It’s hard for me to get everywhere and there are kids in Mexico screaming at me every day because I haven’t been to Mexico in three years. And Mexico is closer than you guys! It’s hard to be everywhere and no, I honestly don’t remember the last time I came here. But if I saw a picture of the club I probably would remember the night – I have a very good memory!”

So, what were you looking forward to most when you knew that you were coming back to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia?

“Well, I don’t get to come to Asia very often. I only come here once or twice a year and even then I have to split it up between like, Japan and South Asia, and Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur..there are about 10 or 12 cities in Asia that are doing amazing things. So for me it’s always exciting to come here and I haven’t been here in five years so it’s awesome. I’m excited! And Zouk Singapore is a big deal, it’s probably one of my favourite clubs in the world. It’s good to come experience Zouk in a different city.”

We’ve been following your music for years now and here’s the one thing that we’ve noticed – your sound has changed. Why is that?

“Yes! I think it’s because I kept getting booked into bigger and bigger rooms. For me, 10 years ago, I’d play something that best suits a room for 200 or 300 people – not much bigger than this office that we’re in right now. But the songs were getting popular and it was hard to play that slow and that mellow in a room with 2,000 to 5,000 people. Then I started getting booked at festivals a few years ago and can you imagine playing in front of 40,000 people, a record at 120bpm you know, very slow and melodic? I think playing at those festivals affected a person and as an artiste so I started playing harder, tougher, and more energetic, and it just seemed more interesting at this pace. I just kinda like..gravitated to it. But I still think that my songs, the general theme and feel of my music, even though it’s harder now, I think it still feels very authentic and similar to the way it did 15 years ago. It’s just that the production side of it is tougher.”

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People have been accustomed to the “San Francisco house” style though so how are your fans adapting to that change?

“I’m still honest and truthful in what I’m creating but I can’t keep writing the same song over and over again. I mean, even people who are huge fans of those collaborations that I did with deadmau5, ‘Move For Me’ and ‘I Remember’, they’re like..why don’t you make stuff like that anymore? I’m like..I don’t know, you can only write one song, one time. ‘It’s You, It’s Me’, it’s there, I wrote that 12 years ago but I can’t write that song again. No matter what I do, if I go back, it’s still going to be different.”

Pray tell, are there any interesting future projects or collaborations that we should be expecting from you?

“I have an album that’s coming out pretty soon and..I don’t have too many collaborations on the album now that I think about it. Hmm (laughs). I’m sure there’s some interesting stuff around the corner somewhere. I mean, I get hit up for collaborations all the time but you know, I’m just waiting for the right thing. Like, when I worked with Skylar Grey on ‘Room For Happiness’, I reached out to her because I was like..wow, I really love your songwriting and your voice is perfect for what I do so we should try and connect! I’m always looking for people that I think would be the right fit for my music but you don’t find those people every day.”

So, we’re living in the digital age now, right, where production gear is a lot more accessible, coupled with the advent of social media. How has that affected your career as a producer?

“It has changed everything. These days, stuff is instant. I mean, my newest song, ‘Atmosphere’ is not even out yet but I played it at Ultra Music Festival in front of 60,000 people and just last week, someone tweeted me a picture of a tattoo with the lyrics on it! It’s amazing. And because 60,000 people in Ultra Music Festival heard it and recorded it and downloaded, millions of people would’ve heard ‘Atmosphere’ by now. Everything moves very fast now and the commercial side of it hasn’t even caught up. If I write a song tomorrow on the airplane, I could play it tomorrow in Jakarta and it could be out there in a week or two. So it has changed everything – the flow of information moves very quickly and artistes aren’t so tied to labels anymore. They can create their own fan base via social media and give them music directly.”

Let’s talk about inspirations for a bit. Who are the top five producers that you look up to and why?

“Top five producers hmm..who’s doing really cool stuff? There are these guys, Galantis. They actually don’t have anything out yet but they’ve been sending me music and I think that they’re going to be the next big thing. They are writing music that is incredibly, completely intriguing and fresh sounding so I’m a huge fan of them. Who else is out there? Hmm. I almost feel like I need to open up my iTunes for your question (laughs). Obviously I’m a fan of deadmau5, the Swanky Tunes guys, and even people like Skrillex is doing really amazing stuff. There are a lot of people doing cool stuff right now in fact, it’s crazy! It’s so hard to keep up.”

Last question! Do you, Kaskade, have any guilty listening pleasures on your playlist? Like stuff your fans would be completely shocked at..

“Uh, I like K-Pop. There’s some really good K-Pop that’s cool. I do like BIGBANG, they’re cool. There’s a lot of good K-Pop out there – the real stuff, not the ‘Gangnam Style’ type.”

What did we tell you? Dark K-Pop secret, revealed! Thank you so much, Ryan, for speaking to us and for being so accommodating.  And of course, special thanks to our friends from Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur for making this interview happen.

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Men Shop Too: An Anatomy of 7 Different Male Shoppers

There is something for everyone on online shopping sites such as Shopee – from the gamers to the fitness buffs, online male shoppers now have a huge variety of products to choose from.

Thanks to our friends from Shopee, they have put together a list of male shopper types that can be found on the e-commerce platform. Read on to see if you can identify with any of them.

Shopee knows the gamers and tech gurus are always on the lookout for the latest gadgets, gizmos and gaming consoles. The e-commerce platform has all these to offer through brands like TMT with its affordable IT and gaming products. Those who need a new smartphone will be happy to learn that Samsung will be having its S10 pre-order sale with an RM100 cash back deal starting 21 February on Shopee.

It may not be a race track on Shopee but there is definitely a network of sellers and brands that one can get their car replacement, motorcycle spare parts and automotive accessories from. Continue saving on petrol with Petronas fuel cards that are selling really well on the platform. During the Shocking Sale, shoppers can purchase an RM100 Petronas fuel card for only RM94! With all the great deals available, one can enjoy upsized cost savings as they shop from a wide assortment of automotive picks.

Shoppers can find a similar style (we mean the outfit, not Zoey Rahman) across the several fashion labels like Timberland, Levi’s, and Fossil, and even from Zoey Rahman’s official store on Shopee. To complete the look, style one’s hair with Ubermen’s hairstyling wax, smell good with Dashing perfume, feel the freshness of one’s skin with Nivea Men Cool Kick shaving gel, and slap on a KACA-KACA sunglasses.

It’s February – how is that New Year’s resolution to keep fit coming along? With Shopee, shoppers can reboot their fitness goals as they purchase sporting goods on the e-commerce platform. Track progress, calories burned and even heartbeat rates with the value for money Xiaomi Amazfit smartwatch. For the professionals, stock up on protein shakes and Whey powder from the official GNC and Optimum Nutrition stores online.

With girlfriends, sisters, wives and children as guinea pigs, family men are constantly busying themselves in the kitchen. To whip up new creations, Shopee has everything these family men need; from air fryers, slow juicers, pressure cookers to bread makers. After cooking, cleaning will be a breeze with the Sunlight dishwashing liquid. Meanwhile, look to freshening up the lavatories with Harpic toilet cleaner and Air Wick aroma gel.

Men are still handy when it comes to fixing a leaky sink, changing the lightbulb and even unplugging a clogged toilet. But one can never have enough of DIY tools because they are just so many made for every nook and cranny of the house. Shopee has a wide range of DIY tools that come with bargained price tags for men to keep filling their toolbox, with the best bargains found on the MR DIY official store.


Hype’s Now Playing: Bobby, Masta Wu, & Dok2 – Come Here

If you find yourself bobbing your head to the remix of Masta Wu’s “Come Back”, don’t worry about it because you are not alone.

YG’s second hip-hop project is a much-anticipated one as Korean producer/rapper Masta Wu aka Woo Gin Won was revealed to be a member of the sub-unit group. He is one of the pioneers in the Korean hip-hop scene even though most people only got to know him through YG’s rapping survival show “Show Me The Money 3″. His involvement in YG’s hip-hop project has certainly brought hype to his collaboration with Korean rapper Dok2 and iKON’s Bobby.

On December 2nd, the collaboration track was finally evealed alongside a music video. The track sets itself apart from G-Dragon and Taeyang’s “Good Boy” that has more influences from EDM instead of hip-hop music.

Straying away from the usual K-Pop sound, “Come Here” stayed true to its hip-hop roots by delivering a steady rap flow in the song. The hip-hop vibe is constant in the remix and it certainly helped establish YG’s hip-hop trademark. And iKON’s Bobby continues to build a name for himself as a rapper even before the debut of his group.

Some of prominent Korean rappers such as Beenzino and The Quiett have made their cameo appearances in the music video as well, although that didn’t t help to hide the cheap cliches that can be seen in American hip-hop music videos. Perhaps it’s best if the group focused more on the song instead of trying so hard to bring out the hip-hop vibe.

So, what do you think of the song and the music video? Do you like it? Share your thoughts in the comments box below!


Hype’s Movie Review: #Goosebumps, A “Jumanji-Esque” Movie That Brings Nostalgia

We’re calling it. “Goosebumps” is basically “Jumanji”, except that it’s funnier and nostalgic.

R.L. Stine’s infamous children horror fiction novels “Goosebumps” and its TV series adaptation were the main sources of terror for most 90s kids. Nothing scared them more than aliens and monsters from the books, but it’s also the reason why some people grew up obsessing over all things spooky and scary.

Now, the stories are being brought to a whole new light through its live-action adaptation by Rob Letterman (of “Shark Tale” fame).

Similar to “The Visit“, there’s nothing really scary about “Goosebumps” because it leans more towards the comedic side. After all, this movie is led by Jack Black, whom many of you know from “The School of Rock” or “Kung Fu Panda“. Black reunited with Letterman through this film and is starring in it as the fictionalised version of author R.L. Stine.

One might think that this movie is based on a specific book from Stine’s horror novel series, but it actually featured all the fictional creatures that creeped us out as kids.

How did Letterman bring out all these characters in one film? Easy. Just turn Slappy the talking Dummy (voiced by Black) into a vengeful character after Stine locked him and the rest of the monsters up in his special collection of manuscripts.

Monsters don’t just leap off the pages on their own and terrorise the town. In this movie, a teenager named Zach Cooper (portrayed by Dylan Minnette) is convinced that his mysterious yet beautiful neighbour Hannah (portrayed by Odeya Rush) has been harmed by his peculiar father that is Stine. As such, he decides to ignore Stine’s warnings and sneak into his house with his friend Champ (portrayed by Ryan Lee) to save her.

There, they learn the reason why the family tries to stay away from public eyes as much as possible. After finding out that Hannah is not harmed by Stine, Zack and Champ accidentally brings the Abominable Snowman into the real world after unlocking a leather-bound “Goosebumps” manuscript.

The bad news didn’t just end there, of course.

While the 3 youngsters are busy capturing the Snowman, Slappy manages to leap off the pages on his own and is determined to make Stine pay for locking him up in a hardback. All hell breaks loose as Slappy unleashes all the monsters that Stine created in the “Goosebumps” series.

Dozens of other-worldly monsters are all crammed into one film, which ultimately forces the filmmakers to focus only on the more iconic characters such as the giant praying mantis, the killer lawn gnomes, the graveyard ghouls, the wolfman, and many more.

The pacing gets faster in the 2nd half of the film, but never rushed, allowing audiences to breathe between the engaging action scenes. Each scene involving a specific monster is done with a sense of humour, but without losing the horror factors too.

Slappy proved to be the most popualr villian as he is the character that we fear the most. The talking dummy is downright evil and menacing that even when the film is not outright horrifiying, he always sends shivers down our spines with his raspy voice and his sadistic behaviour.

Unfortunately, all these horror factors didn’t help conceal the fact that “Goosebumps” is an imperfect film with tonnes of plot holes. Amy Ryan’s talent is wasted in this movie as she was given nothing much to do with her character as Zack’s mom. Even Jillian Bell has a more interesting story with her role as Zack’s Aunt Loraine.

Admittedly, Black doesn’t physically resemble the real Stine, but he posses a likability and manages to add some new interesting traits to his character. Similar to Stan Lee’s cameos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), there’s a quick appearance by the real Stine too.

All in all, this is a goofy and fun horror comedy tale that is suitable for all ages. There’s a balanced amount of humour and scares that allow anyone to watch it at ease. It delivers a playful sense of spookiness while building scares through the eyes of the children.

While it’s not a blatant attempt at fan service, this film could actually become a movie that “Goosebumps” fans would appreciate.

“Goosebumps” is slated for release on 14th October 2015.

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

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#Malaysia: Government To Amend Mandatory Death Penalty Law For Drug Offences

Malaysia is known to be one of the countries with the harshest drug laws in the world. Selling/trafficking drugs is a crime that’s punishable by death and the method of execution is through hanging.

It’s a subject that has been long debated by Amnesty International, who opposes the death penalty and has previously campaigned for total abolition of capital punishment. Amnesty International cited the lack of transparency in meting out death sentences in Malaysia, saying that Malaysia has a reputation for meting out death sentences in secrecy.

But as it turns out, Putrajaya has now agreed to review Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and allow courts to decide on the penalty for drug offences. This means that judges will be allowed to use their discretion in meting suitable sentences for offenders instead of imposing the mandatory death sentence.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said confirmed that the review was presented to the Cabinet on 1st March by Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali.

Apandi had previously shown his support of abolishing the death penalty, expressing a wish for discretionary powers instead of sending convicts to the gallows in narcotics-related offences, which also includes those coerced or duped into becoming drug mules.

“The Cabinet has agreed to an amendment of Section 39(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 to include the additional clause to provide discretionary powers to the courts when sentencing, apart from the mandatory death penalty, for drug trafficking. As such, the ministry as well as relevant agencies will prepare a Cabinet Ministers Memorandum together with a recommendation to amend the Act for the consideration and approval of the Cabinet,” The Star Online quoted Azalina as saying.

According to the Prison Department’s statistics, there are almost 800 prisoners on death row for drug trafficking offences under Section 39(B). However, the implementation of the amended law has to be done through the legal process and since it’s still at an early stage, there are many other processes to go through before a decision can be made.

Other countries in the Asian region that hand out severe penalties (read: death) as a punishment for drug offences include Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Sources: The Star Online, Wiki, Amnesty International, NST / Featured image: The Prohibition Post.


Yuna & Jay Park Hint At Music Collaboration

Say what! You read that right. The world of K-pop seems to be the gift that just keeps on giving. With new releases and mentions of collabs this year, 2019 seems to have more and more things in store for us; starting with our very own Yuna and Jay Park.

Malaysia’s sweetheart was recently spotted in the studio with K-pop’s bad boy according to this Instagram post.

Could this possibly mean a collab between the two stars?!

Collabs in K-pop with western artists are no surprise to us, after BTS with Steve Aoki and Blackpink with Dua Lipa but this will be the second time we get a local flavour added into the mix!

Yuna has also previously appeared on K-hip hop group Epik High’s album as well, lending her vocals on the track “No Different”.

Have you heard? Tablo (@blobyblo) of Epik High just drop the full lineups that will feature for their new upcoming album including our Malaysia’s sweetheart Yuna (@yunamusic), BTS Suga (@BTS_twt), Crush (@crush9244) & many more!! Let’s show them a lot of support! ?????? pic.twitter.com/SJYgakk3K9

— Malaysian Kpop Fans (@MsiaKPOPfans) February 27, 2019

Jay Park himself recently released a new album, “The Road Less Travelled”. Perhaps this might be a new single… or maybe (gasp) a part of Yuna’s long-awaited LP? We can only speculate for now!

How excited are you about this collab?! We know we’re looking forward to these two R&B crooners to unite their voices in melodic harmony. That being said… who’s to know what genres the two might tackle?

Let’s see if Yuna can give us a halal version of “Mommae” ;)

Apparently, the collab track from Yuna and Jay Park is titled “Does She”, which will be festured in her 4th international studio album, “Rouge”, out 12th July 2019.

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Sebastian Stan To Join Chris Hemsworth In Singapore On 25th May

Earlier this week, we announced that Chris Hemsworth will be making an appearance for a private event in Singapore next week.

Guess what? We just found out that another “Avengers: Infinity War” actor will be joining the Australian star soon. He is none other than Sebastian Stan! Mark your calendars peeps, the date is 25th May (Friday). Exactly one week from now, these Hollywood A-listers will make hearts fluttering.

The “Avengers” duo will be at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre for the grand unveiling of Hugo Boss’ new BOSS store concept. Both Hemsworth and Stan will be joined by Singaporean BOSS ambassador and Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling.

As aforementioned, Hemsworth, who plays the Norse god Thor, will be holding a separate meet-and-greet with a few lucky fans. By purchasing any Hugo Boss Fragrance (75ml and above) at any Sephora Singapore store from now till 22nd May, you could be one of the lucky winners to meet the 34-year-old actor in person.

Just last month, Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch (aka Iron Man and Doctor Strange) were in Singapore to promote their blockbuster movie. Now is your chance to meet Thor and the Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes)!


Nina Dobrev Topless For Obamacare

The Vampire Diaries actresses posted a photo of her posing topless on Instagram to promote and show her support for Obamacare. Covered by only a card that read #getcovered, a reference to President Obama’s ‘Affordable Care Act’, the twenty-four year old actress used this as a platform to create awareness amongst the American public about the healthcare benefits provided by the new federal statute and how it makes health insurance affordable and accessible to those who can’t afford it.

The caption on Nina’s photo read “Im Canadian. We have healthcare for all. If you dont have insurance go and #GetCovered, Because w/o it, you’re naked.”

Other high profiled celebrities have also used social media platforms to try create awareness about the new health act. American rock band Pearl Jam tweeted “If you want to make sense of the whole healthcare thing, or just want to #GetCovered, check out www.healthcare.gov #KnowYourOptions”. Julianna Moore, Kerry Washington, Sarah Silverman and John Legend are also amongst the  many celebrities who used the #getcovered slogan on Twitter.


Hype’s Now Playing: Ladies’ Code – Smile Even If It Hurts (아파도 웃을래)

K-Pop idol girl group Ladies’ Code (레이디스 코드) has released another tribute song for their late members EunB and RiSe in commemoration of their death anniversaries.

The first tribute song, “I’m Fine Thank You” was released on 3rd September, to mark a year since EunB’s passing. “Smile Even If It Hurts”, released today (7th September), marks exactly one year since RiSe has passed away.

While “I’m Fine Thank You” is just a remake of an existing Ladies’ Code song featuring several Polaris Entertainment artistes e.g. Kim Bum Soo, Ivy, Yang Dong Geun, Han Hee Jun, Rumble Fish, and Sun Woo, “Smile Even If It Hurts” is more personal.

Featuring the vocals of the 3 remaining Ladies’ Code members e.g. Ashley, Sojung, and Zuny,  “Smile Even If It Hurts” was co-written by composer Seo Yoo Suk and established hitmaker Seo Ui Bum.

Ladies’ Code member Sojung contributed to the lyrics of the song, which perfectly captures the pain and suffering they went through since RiSe and EunB’s deaths in the tragic car crash last year.


(Video) Malaysian TikToker Books 6 Domestic Flights Just To Review Airline Meals In 1 Day

Normally, netizens would recommend influencers or content creators to visit a specific restaurant, try their food and post their reviews afterwards. But what if someone ask you to try and review multiple airlines’ meals on the same day?

It sounds outrageous and incredibly expensive, right? Well, it appears that one Malaysian TikToker decided to accept that challenge and post his reviews of airline meals by booking multiple flights within a single day! Watch:

Replying to @Syukrizzz makan airlines meal in a day!! Let’s go!! #fyp #pov #flight #meal #fypシ #traveller #airasia #myairline #airlinereview

♬ original sound – Mael Lambong Asis – Mael Lambong Asis

TikToker Mael Lambong Asis recently posted a TikTok video on his channel where he responded to a netizen’s request. The netizen asked the content creator to try and review as many airline meals in just one day. In order to achieve this goal, the Movilion Coffee House director booked a total of 6 domestic flights!

The first flight was an AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kelantan where the TikToker ordered the Sesame Chicken Wrap for breakfast, which he gave a 8/10 rating. The second flight was actually the same flight back to KL where he then tried the airline’s chicken satay (he gave a 9/10 rating). For lunch, the influencer boarded MYAirline (which he booked 4 flights that day) where he tried the BBQ Chicken Rice. He gave the dish a 3/10 rating, much to his disappointment.

When he boarded the same flight again, the traveller ordered the Nasi Briyani, which scored a lower rating of 2/10. For dinner, the young man tried the airline’s Nasi Lemak dish that finally received praise from him together with an 8/10 rating. On his last flight back to KL and for the last meal of the day, Mael ordered the good old Maggi Kari Cup; it was probably his favourite since he rated it 11/10.

Usually, a viral post like this would get mixed reactions from netizens but surprisingly, most comments were positive. Instead of criticising Mael for “wasting” money, netizens were very much impressed by his dedication on completing the airline meals review challenge. Obviously, some were curious to know how much did the multiple trips cost him.

While we may never know how much the TikToker spent on that particular day, at least we now know more about what these airlines have to offer in their menu.

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#SecretRecipe: JAKIM Revokes Restaurant’s Halal Certification Over Cleanliness Issues

The halal certificate of popular cake franchise and restaurant Secret Recipe has been withdrawn by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). However, JAKIM said the revocation of the halal certification for Secret Recipe Manufacturing Sdn Bhd is not due to the use of “haram ingredients” but over issues involving cleanliness.

A check on JAKIM’s halal database confirmed that the halal certification of Secret Recipe Manufacturing Sdn Bhd and Secret Recipe Cakes & Cafe Sdn Bhd have been revoked.

About an hour ago, JAKIM’s halal hub division director Hakimah Mohd Yusoff released an official statement via JAKIM’s Facebook page which read:

The revocation of the halal certification was because of a breach of the halal certification procedure manual involving serious offences on cleanliness and good manufacturing practices. This revocation was not caused by offences on the usage of haram ingredients in the processing of products. JAKIM would also like to advise users not to make all kinds of assumptions and circulate this matter in the wrong way

Hakimah also mentioned that her division has called in the companies, which promised to take immediate action and warned all holders of halal certification to constantly abide by JAKIM’s standards or face similar revocation.

The revocation took effect on 7th May 2015 but Secret Recipe can reapply for the halal certification after it takes remedial action and abides by the halal certification standards.

Last year, a halal food status controversy worked its way up to news headlines when more thn 20 Malay-Muslim groups called for a nationwide boycott on all Cadbury products over the discovery of porcine DNA in a sample of its chocolates.

However, JAKIM later declared that the 2 batches of Cadbury chocolate products previously found “tainted with porcine DNA” are halal and safe for Muslim consumption.

Source: Malaysiakini / Featured image from here.


Jordan Chan Shares How Jay Chou Revived His Music Career

It isn’t easy to make your mark in the entertainment industry. Nowadays, it’s easier to attract attention with the various streaming platforms online. However, back then, you had to hope your talent would get noticed and a company would pick you up. Artist Jordan Chan (陳小春) knows that very well.

Jordan has been experiencing a string of successes, thanks to ranking first on variety show “Call Me By Fire (披荆斩棘的哥哥)”. However, Jordan’s music career didn’t quite take off, at least until Taiwanese singer Jay Chou (周杰倫) stepped in.

Jordan debuted 30 years ago, not with acting or singing, but by dancing. In 1985, he enrolled in the TVB Dancers’ Training Class which was his entry into the industry. However, somewhere along the way, Jordan became known for his acting, rather than his other talents. Of course, Jordan tried his best to expand in other areas, such as music. He actually created a group with artist Jason Chu (朱永棠) and Michael Tse (谢天华) called “Wind, Fire, Sea (风火海)”. However, it was short-lived.

Shortly after they disbanded, Jordan went solo but he made less music. He started to believe he wasn’t a professional musician. He also felt his development in the music industry was limited by several factors. Jordan came close to giving up on the music scene completely. Yet, everything changed for Jordan, thanks to Jay Chou.

In 2003, the Taiwanese singer-rapper composed a song for Jordan, titled “Face the World (獻世)”. The Cantonese-Pop song became an instant hit. In fact, this was the song that won him an award during the Taiwanese Music Awards Ceremony. The song did more than win him an award however, it afforded him a break in his music career. He jumpstarted his career again and firmly decided against leaving the music world.

Jordan has thanked Jay Chou repeatedly in public. After all, without him, it is uncertain if Jordan would have stayed in the music industry. Additionally, Jay Chou has composed several other songs for Jordan since then, such as “Hug (抱一抱)”, “Er Leng Zhi (二愣子)” and  “I love people (我爱旳人)”.

Their collaboration has brought much joy to many but most of all to Jordan himself. We look forward to hearing more from him now that “Call Me By Fire” is over! Check out Jay Chou performing Jordan’s song here:

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A Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs Kind Of Christmas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Sunway Lagoon spread the Christmas joy and brightened up the lives of thousands of underprivileged children and caretakers by treating them to an exclusive preview of Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, The Musical at the Amphitheatre at Sunway Lagoon.

Directed by Chris Colby and choreographed by David Kort, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, The Musical features a cast from London’s West End and professional dancers from around the world. Making this Christmas extra special with its sixth musical, Sunway Lagoon gave the children from 2o charity homes the chance to catch the spectacular musical throughout the month of December.

“Since 2010, we (Sunway Lagoon) have taken much pleasure and joy in being able to host underprivileged children to enjoy a wonderful show and learn the message it conveys. It is heart-warming to see the children with big smiles on their faces while enjoying the show,” said Bill Holman, Consultant Director of Sunway Lagoon.

The children were homes around Klang Valley including the tuition center for underprivileged kids under YB Hannah Yeoh’s office, Angsana Home, Ozanam Home,  Sunbeam Home, Precious Home, The Pure Life Society, Ti Ratana Welfare Home, House of Peace, Assunta Children’s Society, Padmasambhava Children Loving Association, Hilla Community, Kiwanis, Persatuan Rumah Kids, Persatuan Anak-Anak Yatim Dan Ibu Tunggal, Rumah Juara Puchong, Precious Children Home, Taska Permata Children, Sunway Medical Centre Cochlear Implant Patients & Family’, Sunday Medical Centre Dialysis Patients & Family, Sunway Medical Centre Medical Oncology Patients & Family, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Agathian Malaysia, House of joy, Rumah Kanak-Kanak Impian, Rumah Shalom, Pusat Penjagaan Kanak-Kanak Cacat Taman Megah, Women’s Aid Organization and City Revival.

“We believe treating the kids to a great musical with high production value will help to spread cheer to the children’s lives as well as inspire them creatively. Aside from the amazing performances by the cast and ensemble performed live under the direction of David Laugharne, the musical also reminds us to look beyond the superficial elements of life and to search for values such as friendship and love,” said Bill.


#TMNT: Cowabunga, Turtles Unlocked!

Whether you’re an 80s kid or not, it’s never too late to become a fan of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”!

Just yesterday, we posted up a teaser image of our favourite pizza-loving turtle, Michelangelo, on our Facebook page, courtesy of our friends from United International Pictures Malaysia. It was part of a social media campaign, where Megan Fox encouraged fans to tweet the name of their favourite Ninja Turtle in order to unlock a poster of that turtle.

Megan Fox stars alongside Will Arnett in the upcoming “Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles” movie. She plays fearless reporter April O’Neil who finds herself having to work with four previously-exposed-to-radiation teenage turtles. Together, they have to save the city and unravel Shredder’s diabolical plan.

These are the materials that were revealed at the end of the Megan Fox-led social media campaign:

On top of the newly “unlocked” TMNT character posters, a new movie trailer was also revealed. Here, don’t forget to watch your favourite “heroes in a half shell” Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello take on Shredder in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trailer:

Finally, check out this gallery of officially released #TMNT teaser pictures so far:

Phew. What a way to get us all riled up with anticipation. We can’t wait! “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is slated for a 7th August release. Meanwhile, for more information, visit their official website or Facebook page.


Interview: Zack Snyder On What & Who Got More Screen Time In “Justice League” Synder Cut

An unprecedented time. An unprecedented opportunity. An army of persuasive fans. And one very colourful, newly-shot scene. Director Zack Snyder returns to the DCEU to not just assemble the superheroes but also explore the breadth of their backstories.

In the 4-hour extended “Justice League”, fans will get to see never-before-seen footages including Victor Stone’s mother Elinore, Iris West (Barry Allen’s potential love interest), Lois Lane’s emotional story arc, and more. There are also scenes featuring Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello), Calvin Swanwick/Martian Manhunter (Harry Lennix), and Ryan Choi (Zheng Kai), plus an appearance from New God Darkseid.

In some way, the Covid-19 pandemic played a role in getting the green light for the extended “Justice League”. Deborah Snyder explained, “(When Covid hit) I said, now is the time to do this. Because lot of movies are shutting down. A lot of companies had capacity now, companies that maybe wouldn’t have been able to keep their doors open. It was great to be able to support vendors that we and Warner Bros. had worked with for a long time.”

“The tricky part was figuring out the plan without it leaking. We didn’t want it to get out there before there was an agreement or before we could make our own announcement,” Deborah continued. “A lot of the vendors went out of their way to make this happen, because for them also it was completing a journey. Their work got reimagined and so to be able to put it back to what we originally planned… it was as fulfilling for them as it was for us.”

Thanks to HBO, we’ve got an interview transcript of Zack where the 55-year-old delved into his thought process in completing his passion project. Who’s backstory was important to shine the spotlight on, what new footages did he shoot during the pandemic – all these and more in the interview below:

1. As someone who has not seen the previous version, your concept remains pristine. How would you describe the Justice League story you set out to tell?

Justice League is a story of a group of misfits. They’re superheroes but they’re all kind of wayward, and each of them has a certain skills set needed to save the world. It’s the story of the coming together of those lost souls into a family.

They form a relationship and become partners so that they can do good, save the world, what have you. But in it, they’re able to go through a catharsis with themselves and their own demons — and be better in the end.

2. Have you always been into comic books?

I was always a fan of illustrated media. Growing up, I was a big fan of Heavy Metal Magazine, which is an adult illustrated fantasy magazine that I got a hold of at a very young age… Too young.

It really shaped my aesthetic. So yes, I have been a fan of that way of illustrated storytelling for a long time. It has informed the cinematic language of the way I like to tell stories with pictures as much as possible.

3. Four hours allows for a lot of world-building. What was your process for choosing what gets more focus and screen time?

When we started off, Chris Terrio and I knew there might be other films: there was a Flash film in production with a big role for Cyborg, and the Wonder Woman movie had not come out yet. We worked with the Flash writers and I was deeply involved in the Wonder Woman storyline.

Also, we were planning a 2nd and 3rd Justice League movie where we would be also able to complete the arcs we had fully fleshed out. The idea was to meet Cyborg, who was set to be the heart of this movie. At the time we hadn’t come up with a Cyborg standalone, but that was our plan. So, we did the deepest dive of the movie into Cyborg’s backstory and what makes him tick.

4. There is so much source material, and canon can mean something different to everyone. How did you decide what to mine and what to create?

Chris and I knew where we wanted the story to go. A lot of what I use as canon is more classic and well-established, but we also look to writers we really liked. In addition to Jack Kirby’s classic work on the New Gods, we looked at Grant Morrison’s and Alex Ross’s takes on the Justice League. I like to look at these movies like a comic book writer who’s making a run at a character in a comic book series. A lot of times they’ll do original stuff, come up with a new twist.

That’s how we approach it a lot of time, too. We have our time with these characters, and someone will come along after us, and they’ll have their time — and it will be different. I think that’s really healthy for comics and for mythology, and I hope it continues.

5. Even for superheroes, some of these backstories are unusually lengthy.

In order for the Justice League to have any gravitas, you really have to understand who they were and what made it difficult for them to come together. In the comics, the origin stories of all these heroes are well known. We took a lot from canon. When you introduce a superhero, it’s important to understand what makes him tick, where his powers came from.

Mythologically speaking, those things are often intertwined: your origin stories and where your powers lie. We were very interested in understanding where these characters came from. Then we painted, with a detailed brush, who they are when we meet them to join the Justice League.

6. I know you mostly mined your original footage, but the movie is four hours… What additional scenes did you shoot?

The only new scene is the Batman/Joker scene. The rest of it was the original movie.

7. Wow. So, although most of this was in the editing. Hence, the “Snyder Cut”. The Joker/Batman scene must have required a lot of work, especially trying to pull it off during a pandemic. Was this a completely new idea?

After I realised there would be no more Zack Snyder DC movies, my biggest regret was that there was no Batman/Joker confrontation scene. It’s the key relationship for both of them. They both went through a series of films and never ran into each other. It didn’t make sense to me.

So, I thought maybe I could remedy that. The idea was that we would do it without telling anybody. I talked to Jared and said we’d get him and Ben and shoot it in my backyard…just sneak it into the movie. Then I just wrote the scene and it turned out we could shoot it.

8. When they reference Robin and Harley Quinn, did you see this scene as a way of tying things up or opening things up?

It does open doors, I know. The main notion is that Joker killed Robin. The revelation of the scene is that Harley is dead, and Batman was there at that moment. As well as that somehow Joker has to help Batman fix the world. Which is all part of this post-apocalyptic nightmare reality we were gunning toward in the second and third movies.

9. Martian Manhunter also has a pivotal scene with Batman and anchors an enhanced Lois Lane storyline and. Why give him so much visibility (or invisibility, in the case of Martha Kent)?

Traditionally, in the genre, the coda takes you to the next film or into the next universe. Also, it just ties up what’s happened in the movie in a way. I’ve always been a fan of Martian Manhunter. As a character, he intrigues me. I don’t know what is his reluctance to engage in humanity is all about, but he has all these incredible powers.

For years, I have been thinking about having Swanwick’s alter ego be Martian Manhunter. I really saw him as a springboard. So, we thought: Let’s have Martian Manhunter take on the shape of Martha Kent to get Lois to reengage with the world. And at the end, I’ll bring him back to launch a dark side war. It’s a way to talk about what Bruce Wayne’s role really was. Also, if the Darkseid comes, you’re going to need all hands on deck to face that.

10. Has your vision changed at all between when you were going to make it and when you were finally able to?

I think it’s very close. I’m sure there have been some emotional shifts that have gone on that have put a different prism for the light to shine through. It’s the same story, but there’s more water under the bridge.

11. What are some elements that you’re glad you got to put into this cut?

I love seeing a little bit of a day in the life of Barry Allen. I love the sequence where Flash runs time back, it’s super psychedelic. I think the movie is pretty psychedelic overall. Even just all the stuff with Cyborg inside his mindscape.

I like seeing Bruce starting to turn toward a less dark, calculated character, one that’s inspired by the faith that the world will turn correctly as opposed to a character who believes the world will always turn toward the dark. That’s a big move for Bruce in the movie.

12. The themes of faith really echo in the film. Is that a more recent development?

It has always been there, that notion. Of course, we underline it a little harder now than we have in the past. Moving into the light seemed important for these guys.

13. Out of all the characters in this film/universe, which do you identify with most?

It’s hard to say. I look at the Justice League like they are personality traits of a single being more than individuals. Barry is your humor and boyish charm and naiveté, Bruce is the sort of father figure who is a little bit jaded by the life he has lived, Superman is the best of us. Cyborg is our best self that has been held back. It’s a fun game to play.

(Says Deborah: “For a long time, there wasn’t anyone I could relate to, so it was super important when we were working on BVS to find the right Wonder Woman. Gal embodies all the characteristics and amazing qualities. To bring her to the screen and be a producer on WW was so exciting for me. My daughter and my son will never know that there isn’t this strong woman out there because she is in their world.”)

14. What is it about this project that inspires such a steadfast commitment from the fan community toward something they’ve never even seen?

I think that people want this version of the movie because I take it seriously. And I take it personally. And I love the characters as they do. I feel like that resonates with fans with regards to how they see the DC universe and how they see these characters. And that relationship fuels a lot of the deep dives people take into the Snyderverse version of the DCEU.

15. To be able to tell this story unencumbered, is that freeing or more stressful?

The movie itself is one of those few times I wasn’t making it for anyone, I was just making it. Whether it’s superfans or the uninitiated or whoever watching it. It has nothing to do with it. It’s more like reading someone’s journal than it is reading someone’s novel.

I think that’s part of the unique experience of the film. I’ll be honest. It’s kind of the way I work anyway. I’ve always been slightly embattled throughout my career. I think it makes for good re-watching.

16. Finally, what’s the most fun moment you remember having on set?

When we were shooting Jason (Momoa) on his walk down the jetty, we had built these massive water cannons that fire water at him. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. It was hilarious because he just had to stand up there and we had no idea what would happen. It wasn’t pleasant but it looked cool, so he was down. He goes: “how many times do I have to do this?” And I go: “I don’t know, a few times.”

I think he thought he had to only do it one time. And it was more like, 30 times. I just remember this one time, we blasted him with water, he literally disappeared. Then the water subsided, and he’s just standing there, like “WOOOOOOOO!”.

Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” premieres on Thursday, 18th March 2021.

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Box Office: Black Panther Is The First Black Led Movie To Join The One Billion Dollar Club

It’s official, Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther” has joined the one billion dollar club. As of a few hours ago, this awesome Marvel flick grossed US$ 1.08 billion at the global box office.

As it stands, “Black Panther has grossed US$ 561.6 million in North America and US$ 518.1 million outside of North America. The film even opened to a solid US$ 66 million in China in its opening weekend.

Over the past couple of weeks, “Black Panther” has been continuously breaking records and this past week was no different. The 18th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the ‘third biggest fourth weekend gross in North America’ — behind “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (US$ 42.353 million) and “Avatar” (US$ 50 million) — and the ‘biggest solo superhero movie in North America’. Globally, “Black Panther” is lagging behind only “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Iron Man 3”, as far as solo superhero movie goes.

But by far the most interesting record that “Black Panther” has broken (or set for the first, time to be precise), is the fact that it is the first movie with a black lead to gross US$ 1 billion at the global box office. Here are the movies that have grossed US$ 1 billion globally:

There are a number of movies in this billion dollar club that star black actors in prominent supporting roles such as “The Fast and Furious” movies (Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris), a number of “Star Wars” movies (Samuel L Jackson, John Boyega, Forest Whitaker), a few “Transformers” movies (Tyrese Gibson), “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises” (Morgan Freeman) and a number of Marvel movies (Anthony Mackie and Don Cheadle). However, “Black Panther” is the first movie to gross US$ 1 billion with a black LEAD. In fact, the entire cast of “Black Panther” is black, besides Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis.

Hopefully, this shows the old white men who run most major Hollywood studios that people of colour can rake in the big bucks too!


Johor Sultan’s Minions Apron Steals The Spotlight While Preparing Lamb Chops

Netizens are loving the Minions apron donned by His Highness Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar recently!

The Sultan of Johor caught netizens’ attention after His Majesty shared several photos of himself showing off his splendid culinary skills in preparing a lamb chop dish for the staff of the palace on his official Facebook page.

“Sultan Ibrahim’s Secret Recipe: The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar took some time off his busy schedule to indulge in some cooking – one of His Majesty’s favourite pastimes. His Majesty made lamb chops with bread crumbs and mashed potatoes for his lunch at Istana Flintstones, Mersing.”

Scrolling through the comments section, many netizens showered the Sultan with praises for his talented chopping skills. A lot of them also pointed out that he looked very adorable in the cartoon printed apron. Some netizens even shared their hopes that they will be able to try his hand-made dishes someday!

Check out some of the entertaining comments left by netizens below:

For those who don’t know, Sultan Ibrahim is well-loved among Malaysians for putting the people’s best interest at the forefront.