#KirinMY: An Authentic Japanese Drinking Experience At The Kirin Ichiban Beer Garden

Kirin Ichiban Malaysia has risen above all to charm beer enthusiasts, at Malaysia’s first Kirin Ichiban Beer Garden, a collaboration between Kirin Ichiban Malaysia and The Social, Publika.

Inspired by Tokyo’s Kirin Ichiban Garden, where enthusiasts will get to indulge in the best variants of Kirin Ichiban, the Kirin Ichiban Beer Garden in Malaysia presents nothing but an authentic Japanese drinking culture and experience.

As Kirin Ichiban is known as Japan’s No.1 100% Malt First Press Beer, the Kirin Ichiban Beer Garden is revolved around the innovative “First Press” brewing method.

“It was essential that we recreated the Japanese drinking culture and experience, and at the same time, educating beer connoisseurs on what makes Kirin Ichiban the purest, 100% malt beer”, explained Loh Ee Lin, Marketing Manager of Kirin Ichiban Malaysia.

The experience started off with educating guests on the innovative brewing process of Kirin Ichiban.

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2 of the favourite Kirin Ichiban variants are featured; the Kirin Ichiban Draught, and Kirin Ichiban Frozen Beer. Guests are also encouraged to have a first hand experience of pouring their very own Frozen Beer.

“The Kirin Ichiban Frozen Beer has always attracted a lot of curiosity, so we figured it would be more fun for guests to experience the pouring and serving themselves”, continued Ee Lin.

Kirin Ichiban Malaysia’s Beer Master, Ben Ng, provided an insight on the innovative brewing method, the “First Press” method, where only the first press of the malt liquid is extracted, using only the finest ingredients, to exude the a pure taste with no bitter aftertaste.

It was also learnt that the unique Kirin Ichiban Frozen Beer utilises Kirin Brewery’s innovative technology to freeze beer at -5ºC, creating a smooth, icy foam texture that coats the top of the Kirin Ichiban Draught. This acts as a lid to keep the beer chilled for 30 minutes.

What say you? Wanna go reward yourself with a refreshing pint of Kirin Ichiban Frozen Beer? It’s priced at RM18 a pop! The Kirin Ichiban Beer Garden is open from 5pm till midnight from 1st October – 10th October 2015, at The Square, Publika.

For more pictures from the Kirin Beer Garden launch, check out the gallery below:

With every purchase of any 10 Kirin Ichiban variants at the Beer Garden, guests will get an exclusive limited edition Kirin Ichiban Mini Frozen Beer Machine (while stocks last)!

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#NeonLights: Music, Art, & Fun Come Together Across 2 Days In Singapore

Neon Lights, a new major music and art destination festival, will blaze a trail across the region’s festival circuit come this November!

The first of its kind in Singapore, and taking its cues from the world’s greatest music festivals, Neon Lights will illuminate the historic Fort Canning Park with a rich and vibrant music and arts programme encompassing international and local music, dance, theatre, comedy, art & design installations, spoken word and children’s workshops.

Built on an uncompromising philosophy of collaboration and community, the inaugural annual festival will run from 1pm till late each day, and will incorporate every nook and cranny of Fort Canning’s 3 main outdoor event spaces – Fort Green, Fort Gate and OMSQ.

Neon Lights promises a premium multi-disciplinary, multi-sensory experience for everyone, regardless of age or interest, set across 6 stages:

The first 16 acts of a superbly eclectic music line-up were handpicked from over 10 countries across 5 continents. List of confirmed acts to date are as follows:

More acts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Families with kids will be entertained by the interactive sideshow, circus, comedy and cabaret performances at Club Minky, followed by children’s wearable art and movement workshops by MySuperFuture at Cloud Factory.

For fans of the spoken and written word, Lit Up @ Neon will be a literary treat with performances, readings, panel discussions and interviews.

Also, attendees will get to participate in a live street art and culture celebration on Easy Street curated by Recognize Studios and Sideshow, alongside the breakbeats of hip hop artistes and scratch DJs.

Full details of arts programme, food, and other experiential offerings to be announced in October.

Early Bird and Family Weekend Tickets on sale from 9am, Tuesday, 8th September via Neon Lights’ website, SISTIC’s website, SISTIC ticketing hotline +65 6348 5555, and EventCliQue.com.

Limited supply of early bird tickets available and Under 18s conditions of purchase apply. Single day & group tickets on sale soon.

* On sale from 9am Tuesday 8th September until stocks last. All prices below exclude booking fees.

Early Bird Adult 2-Day Weekend (18yrs & above): $189

Youth 2-Day Weekend (12-17yrs): $150
*Must be accompanied by an adult.
*Max 2 x Youth per paying adult, photo ID required.

Child 2-Day Weekend (Under 12): $40
*Must be accompanied by an adult.
*Max 2 x Child per paying adult, photo ID required.

Neon Lights is organised by a team of international award-winning festival experts, including co-founders of Electric Picnic (IRE), Clockenflap (HK) and Harvest Festival (AUS), in collaboration with the experienced and dynamic Singapore team.

For more information, visit Neon Lights’ website or Facebook page.

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The First Official Trailer Of I, Frankenstein

Movie makers teases fans by releasing the first official trailer for the movie I, Frankenstein.

Brought to you by the creators of Underworld, I, Frankenstein is a modern reinterpretation of the graphic novel of the same title. The movie follows the creature known as Adam Frankenstein as he finds himself in a battle that holds humanity’s fate at stake.

I, Frankenstein is set in a state of terror where vigilant gargoyles and vicious demons are in a heated battle for the ultimate power. Frankenstein then finds himself caught in the middle as both sides are determine to find the secret to his immortality. A full on action packed film, I, Frankenstein is written and directed by Stuart Beattie and features a cast that includes Adam Eckhard who played Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight, Bill Nighy, Yvonne Strahovski and Miranda Otto.

I, Frankenstein is set to hit cinemas in January 2014.


#Siwon: K-Pop Idol To Co-Produce Film Adaptation Of Daum Webtoon, #Interview

Singing, dancing, modelling, and acting. These few traits are part of Super Junior member Choi Siwon. Soon, he’ll have another interesting trait to add to his resume.

Apparently, Siwon is going to try his hand at producing!

In a report from soompi, EnterMedia Pictures and Siwon have purchased the rights to the 2011 Daum webtoon, “Interview“, which was authored by Rude Vico (루드비코). In case you didn’t know, EnterMedia Pictures (CEO Lee Dong Hoon) is the company that produced the US version of “Good Doctor” and “My Love from the Star”. It is also the company that brought the rights to the US drama “Suits” and is currently preparing the Korean version.

The “Interview” webtoon is about a fiction author who is experiencing a slump and refuses to have an interview with anyone. However, he does permit one man, who unexpectedly knows about his unpublished project, “Hungarian Barber”, for an interview. And then, the story unfolds.

Siwon really wanted to see a movie produced from the webtoon as he was drawn to the unique format of the way there are 3 stories within the interview within the webtoon. Together with EnterMedia Pictures, they’re currently looking for US writers and directors to work with Korean writers and directors.


#MTVMusicEvo: Top 7 Highlights From This Year’s MTV Music Evolution Manila

In case you missed it, we were in the Philippines over the weekend for the 2nd instalment of MTV Asia’s MTV Music Evolution Manila 2016 (#MTVMusicEvo). It was a 1-night only live event that saw the likes of some of the world’s most popular artistes as well local Pinoy talents coming together to unite their fans with “Can’t Stop Movin!” music.

Amongst the musicians that captivated their fans with explosive performances on 24th June (Friday) were iconic international pop band and prolific hit-maker OneRepublic, L.A.-grown electric dance trio Far East Movement, American singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha, K-Pop idol girl group Apink (에이핑크), Philippine’s power pop superstar father-and-son duo Gary V feat. Gab Valenciano, and Pinoy sweethearts #JaDine aka James Reid and Nadine Lustre.

This year’s #MTVMusicEvo also gave us the opportunity to discover as well as rediscover the talents in the lineup and get to know them a little bit better during the day-long press conferences (hosted by your favourite MTV VJs Alan Wong, Hanli Hoefer, Yassi Pressman, and Andre Paras) that were held prior to the show.

Here are some highlights from both the #MTVMusicEvo event as well as the press conferences:

1. Bebe Rexha is a blessed little “bumble bee”

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American singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha, who is best known for being featured in electronic dance music group CashCash’s highest charting song, “Take Me Home”, revealed that her real name is actually Bleta Rexha. She took on the nickname “Bebe” because her first name, Bleta, means “bumble bee” in Albanian (she’s of Albanian descent). Also, Rexha is not pronounced as “Reks-ha” but “Rejha”, with the “j” in “Rejha” pronounced the same way as you would pronounce the “j” in “jet”. When asked how she feels about being one of the rare few pop artistes in the world who writes and performs her own music, Bebe said, “I think that there are a lot of undiscovered talent out there and I think it’s about bringing them to light. I’m super blessed to be able to write and sing my songs, and write for other people.” adding that as a teenager, she used to sit in her parents’ house and write songs for hours and hours.

..or not, because the #MTVMusicEvo crowd in Manila sure knew how to work it despite the rain. The rain wasn’t constant, it came and went in drizzles, with the heaviest downpour coming down hard on the crowd right before Far East Movement’s set. But we reckon that it worked against Mother Nature’s favour because more and more people kept filing in, eventually filling up the venue and bringing the total of attendees to a whopping 26,000 headcount! And by the time Far East Movement came on, the crowd had swelled and the party was off the hook. Them Pinoys, they sure how to rock. So umbrellas up and ponchos on, because a little rain can’t stop, don’t stop nobody ;)

3. First dibs! Far East Movement officially announces their new album

Ever-evolving without skipping a beat, American hip hop-EDM group Far East Movement rocked up to Manila, Philippines to put on a mind-blowing show. The group hasn’t put out a new album since “Dirty Bass” in 2012, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t been working hard at perfecting their live shows, managing the artistes under their own label, and yes..pulling long hours in the studio making new music! During the press conference, Kev Nish, James “Prohgress” Roh”, and DJ Virman revealed that there is, in fact, an album in the works. In fact, right after #MTVMusicEvo, the group flew to Korea to finish off their album. You heard it here first!

4. “Listening to new music is like trying out new food” – OneRepublic

The trick to staying relevant in the music scene is to have no fear (or rather, embrace every fear) and constantly be up for trying new things, no matter how uncomfortable you are with the idea. When asked about how their musical influences have changed from the day that they first started out until now, Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic revealed that they never stop listening to various genres of music, no matter how strange or different they are. “We constantly listen to new music, new artistes, new inspirations, and we also look back to old inspirations, but new is always the most exciting thing, so we look out for new every time,” Ryan explained. He likened it to trying out different types of food because “you’d never know, you might actually like them, but you won’t know it unless if you actually tried them”.

5. “Can’t Stop Movin!” dance-off & dance cam moments

Contrary to popular belief, #MTVMusicEvo is not all about performances from the artistes alone. At certain points throughout the night, the members of the audience were invited to “perform” alongside MTV VJs Alan Wong, Hanli Hoefer, Yassi Pressman, and Andre Paras in dance-offs. True to its “Can’t Stop Movin!” theme this year, the annual concert did not only feature the best of international pop artistes grooving with the crowd, it also turned the cameras on some attendees via the live dance cam and the feed was projected on giant screens next to the massive stage. We loved it! What a way to get people moving, keep the energy levels up, and make the fans feel special.

6. Meet our new #relationshipgoals, #JaDine

Pinoy pop darlings James Reid and Nadine Lustre have been “shipped” by their fans in the Philippines long before they were a real-life couple. James and Nadine first worked together in 2013 when she starred in his music video, “Alam Niya Ba”. Celebrities in their own right, they revealed their romantic relationship at the “JaDine in Love” concert on 20th February 2016, and became Asia’s power couple, paving the way for people to call them “Team Real”. It’s clear that they are very much “JaDine in Love” considering the very public displays of affection. Heck, James even fielded questions about their relationship during the press conference. It’s settled then! #JaDine is our new #relationshipgoals.

7. Gary & Gab will make you wish that your fambam was as cool

Don’t let their humble father and son title fool you! Power duo Gary Valenciano aka Mr. Pure Energy (father) and Gab Valenciano (son) blew our minds when they took the stage that night to show off their sick dance moves and Gary’s vocal chops. Their set, which included various traditional and modern percussion instruments, was a high energy show that changed everything we thought we knew about Filipino artistes, and father and son tandems. In fact, during the press conference, both Gary and Gab spoke deeply about their individual passions, how they inspire each other, and encouraged talents to keep creating and collaborating (instead of competing). Well, it’s safe to say that their #MTVMusicEvo father-and-son collaborative efforts were truly a one-of-a-kind type of cool, and we’re envious.

8. Apink lifts the curtain on their comeback plans

Sugar, spice, and everything nice Apink (에이핑크) charmed the socks off their Pinoy “Pink Pandas” (as Apink’s fans are lovingly called) with their first ever performance in the country. As expected, the girls were greeted with pink banners and screams from the moment they set foot on the #MTVMusicEvo stage, and we don’t blame the fans. Their concept, coupled with their adorable smiles and cute dance moves, was enough to captivate even the non-fans! In speaking about their future plans, Apink revealed that they’re actually in the midst of working as fast as they can on a comeback album. “We will be releasing our next album first before having our concert in Korea. You guys have to wait a little bit more because we prepared a lot of new songs for the album,” Chorong said. “We’re doing our best to finish the album as soon as possible for the fans. You are going to love the songs and we’re doing a lot for the title song,” Eunji added.

“MTV Music Evolution: Manila Asia Special” premieres on MTV on Tuesday, 19th July at 7pm (TH/WIB), 8pm (PH/SG), and 9pm (MY).

Repeat airings of MTV Music Evolution Manila 2016 are on:

For more information, hit up MTV Asia’s Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.

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#BAP: K-Pop Idol Boy Group Drops Mysterious Teasers For November Comeback

Watch out, BABYz (as B.A.P fans are lovingly known). The alien bunnies from planet Matoki are invading Earth again!

Of course, they aren’t trying to harm us. Instead, they will be bringing with them new music from Korean idol boy group B.A.P!

The 6-member boy group is confirmed to be making their long awaited comeback on 15th November (Tuesday). They are currently in the midst of recording their new album.

It will mark a year since they were embroiled in a lawsuit drama with their agency TS Entertainment last November. At the time, they cited unfair income distribution and slave/invalid contracts as the reasons for the lawsuit to the Seoul Western District Court.

After a series of “communicational trials and heartfelt efforts“, the group eventually agreed to return to the company in August this year.

In anticipation of their comeback, members Bang Yong Guk and Jong Up have uploaded the first batch of teaser images on their official Twitter accounts.

The teaser images, which were posted on 20th October (Tuesday), feature their iconic Matoki characters and the hashtags “#BAP” #BAP151115″. Jong Up’s teaser showed Dadamato while Bang Yong Guk’s image showed Shishimato.

— Bang yongguk (@BAP_Bangyongguk) October 20, 2015

— Jongup_Official (@jongup_official) October 20, 2015

Earlier this month, the group also released a word search puzzle titled “mato puzzle”.

The puzzle is said to have hidden messages to their fans and hints about their new album.

A comeback showcase will be held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on 15th November.

Details are still kept under wraps, but what do you think their comeback concept will look like? What do you expect to hear from their new album?

Feel free to discuss in the comments box below.


LEGOLAND Brings Minifig Tradition To Malaysia

LEGOLAND® Malaysia is bringing a unique and captivating new craze to Asia – The Minifigure Swap – which involves the trading of small LEGO® figurines, usually referred as Minifigs.

The concept is that guests can swap their Minifigure with the Model Citizens (LEGOLAN D Staff) who wear the figurines on their name badges and have no choice but to agree to the exchange. Park guests may also wish to trade with each other but, if they want to hold on to their favourite Minifigure, they are not under the same obligation to swap.

The first Minifigure Swap in Asia is being launched to coincide with the school holidays and to kick things off LEGOLAND has set aside 300 highly sought after Minifigures, which will be distributed amongst the Model Citizens, ready for park guests to get their hands on.

To date there are almost 4000 Minifigure characters ranging from policemen to princesses and cowboys to cheerleaders. Minifigures are collected by both children and adults across the world, the biggest collections running into the thousands. They are highly customizable and parts from different figures can be mixed and matched, resulting in a large number of combinations.

To help guests get involved a complimentary Build a Minifigure (BAM) voucher will be given away with the purchase of a “Kids Meal” at selected food and beverage outlets at LEGOLAND Malaysia between Saturday 16th and Sunday 31st March. The vouchers can be exchanged at three designated Minifigure Redemption Stations around the Park. Participating F&B outlets include:

Guests can also purchase Minifigures from any retail outlet in the Park and at the Brick Shop they can even build their own custom Minifigure. There are many loose Minifigure parts and accessories to create endless combinations with. The Brick shop will additionally be offering visitors a special promotion to purchase three Build a Minifigures and receive a free BAM box for the whole month of March.

An exclusive “Spot the Minifigure” give-away will also be happening at the Park during this time. Every day starting 16th March a custom-built Minifigure will be worn by a designated Model Citizen. Each time a lucky guest correctly identifies the Minifigure they will be rewarded with a special prize and the custom Minifigure will be passed to a new “Model Citizen” ready to be spotted again. Prizes include LEGO toys and meal vouchers that can be used throughout the Park’s F&B outlets.

The spot and win activity will end on the 31st March 2013.

For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Namewee Responds To RM10 Mil Lawsuit By Concert Organiser StarPlanet

The legal battle between Namewee (黃明志) and concert organiser StarPlanet (星艺娱乐) is far from over.

If you recall, the rapper’s “4896 – Final Call” World Tour was scheduled to take place in Bukit Jalil on 31st December 2019. It went ahead as planned but it was managed by another organiser – NSP (Namewee Studio Production) Entertainment.

Yesterday (Monday, 27th July), local dailies reported that the controversial rapper (real name Wee Meng Chee) is being sued for a jaw-dropping RM10 million by StarPlanet. Namewee said that the lawsuit was over a clip that he posted on 14th December 2019 where he blamed StarPlanet for the cancellation.

As a result, numerous fans stormed StarPlanet’s socials and blasted the company for their management in handling the issue. “But I made the comments when I was drunk. It is not wrong,” the 37-year-old was quoted as saying.

When approached by Oriental Daily News, the hip hop recording artist revealed that he doesn’t have that kind of money. “My nett worth does not even reach RM10 million. Furthermore, with the movement control order (MCO), I can’t even perform on stage,” Namewee told the Chinese publication.

StarPlanet is pressing on with the suit, claiming that Namewee had not only tarnished the company’s brand but also defamed managing director Datuk Alan Foo.


#JEMY2017: Japanese Comedian & Viral Sensation PIKOTARO Is Coming To Kuala Lumpur

“I have a pen, I have a apple, Uh! Apple pen!”

Japanese viral sensation PIKOTARO (ピコ太郎) is coming to Malaysia, for Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s first ever “Japan Expo Malaysia 2017” (JEMY 2017), an immersive 3-day All-Japan event which gathers Japan’s most iconic cultures, music, anime, art, fashion, food, travel and live entertainment to Malaysia.

Organised by G-Yu Creative Company, JEMY 2017 takes place from the 28th to 30th July 2017 to coincide with Tokyo Street’s 6th Anniversary celebration. Revel in all things Japanese under one roof at Pavilion KL and Fahrenheit 88 for unforgettable free entertainment and excitement all weekend.

Popular for his viral song, PPAP, better known as “Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen”, PIKOTARO will be performing for the first time in Malaysia at this event. If you’ve always wanted to meet-and-greet the energetic viral-hit Japanese star in person, then you most definitely need to be there!

There will also be special performances and appearances by Shigeru Matsuzaki, Maito from King Creamsoda, Ryoma Quartet, Naomichi Hanazono, Haruka Yamashita and Reon Kurosaki. Fans will also get the chance to rub shoulders with famous cosplayer Minori who will head the cosplayer parade at JEMY 2017.

Across Pavilion KL, Fahrenheit88 will also be hosting over 15 booths promoting Japanese food, education and many more. Look for exciting opportunities to study in Japan or try the popular Japanese thick egg hot sandwich.

Check out the JEMY 2017 timetable below:

Artistes Reon Kurosaki and Monster Kidz will also be making appearances at the mall so stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.

For more information, hit up www.japanexpomalaysia.com, www.pavilion-kl.com or contact Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s Concierge at 03 2118-8833.


#RIPLeonardNimoy: Beam Him Up Now, Scotty – To Heaven

Not the best news we want to wake up to this weekend :(

Leonard Nimoy, the sonorous, gaunt-faced actor who won a worshipful global following as Spock, the irritatingly loveable ultra logical human-alien in the cult sci-fi TV series and movie juggernaut “Star Trek,” died on Friday (27th Feb) morning at his home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles. His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, confirmed his death.

Last year, he revealed that he was suffering chronic lung disease COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), caused by years of smoking. Ironically, it’s a bad habit that he had given up 30 years ago. Earlier this week, he was taken to the hospital after suffering from chest pains.

He had a long career as both an actor and director.

Spock serves aboard the starship Enterprise, as science officer and first officer, and later as commanding officer of 2 iterations of the vessel. Spock’s mixed human-Vulcan heritage serves as an important plot element in many of the character’s appearances. Along with Captain James T. Kirk and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, he is one of the 3 central characters in the original “Star Trek” series and its films.

After retiring from Starfleet, Spock serves as a Federation ambassador, contributing toward the easing of the strained relationship between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. In his later years, he serves as Federation ambassador to the Romulan Star Empire and becomes involved in the ill-fated attempt to save Romulus from a supernova.

In the “Star Trek” (2009) and “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013), he reprised his role alongside Zachary Quinto, who depicted a younger version of the character, existing within an alternate timeline. His portrayal of Spock in “Star Trek Into Darkness” was his final film role.

His final days was marked with a final tweet from his official Twitter account, in which he signed off with “LLAP” – a reference to his character’s famous catchphrase, “Live long and prosper”.

A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP

— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 23, 2015

His granddaughter later used the same Twitter account to confirm his passing.

It’s true that Leonard Nimoy made being a sci-fi geek acceptable long before it was cool. For old times’ sake, beam him up now, Scotty – to heaven.

We can’t imagine a better send off for the half-human, half-Vulcan legend.

Sources: BBC, NY Times, Spock Wikipedia.

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Contest: Win Exclusive #Minions Premiere Screening Passes

Remember the despicable yellow single-celled organisms or more commonly known as minions? As most of you may already know by now, those cute little gleeful things are getting a movie on their own. Righteously titled “Minions“, the trailer shows that the minions aren’t all that despicable unless they’ve got a despicable master to serve.

Having exist long before humans did, they’ve served some of the greatest villains in the world including T-Rex, Napoleon and Dracula. Unfortunately for the minions, these villains didn’t live long enough to see abomination. Not having a master to serve, has left the minions aimless and depressed which could lead to their extinction, but lucky for them, one brave minion named Kevin, volunteers to go on a search for their new master.

Joined by Stuart and Bob, the trio’s thrilling journey leads them to their next potential master in New York. Set in the 60s, “Minions”, directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda is a spin-off to and prequel both “Despicable Me” and “Despicable Me 2”. Written by Brian Lynch, the Universal Pictures film is executive produced by Chris Renaud and produced by Illumination Entertainment’s Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy.

“Minions” see Sandra Bullock joining the cast to voice Scarlet Overkill, the world’s first-ever female super-villain while Jon Hamm will voice her husband, inventor Herd Overkill. “Birdman” star Michael Keaton, Allison Janney and Steve Coogan will also be taking on voice over roles in the movie.

Now, our friends at United International Pictures Malaysia are giving fans the opportunity to join Kevin, Stuart and Bob as they embark on this journey to find a new master by giving us tonnes of “Minions” premiere screening passes to giveaway.

Premiere screening details are as follows:

All you gotta do to win passes is answer the following questions:

E-mail your answers with your details (Name, IC, Contact number) to submit@hype.my. Each winner will walk away with 4 tickets per person. These are limited tickets and will be based on a first-come-first-served basis.

Yup, you heard us. So, start sending in those e-mails now before it’s too late 😉

Slated for release on June 18th (Thursday), the “Minions” is undeniably one of the cutest movies to hit cinemas this year!

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


Halloween 2020: Confront Your Fears Of These 6 Phobias

Halloween is the time of year that is synonymous with all things spooky and hair-raising. We all have fears of our own – be it ghosts, zombies, or even hospitals. This season, Netflix invites you to face those very fears with the many haunting shows available to you (and we also have the right antidote to ease those pesky chills!).

Got a case of Claustrophobia? What about Nosocomephobia? Perhaps some Wiccaphobia? Netflix has the right antidote to soothe the worst of the heebie jeebies.

Claustrophobia is the fear of tight spaces. If you’d like to get a sense of what claustrophobia feels like, “The Haunting of Bly Manor” is the perfect horror series to get your fix. Nothing like being trapped in a haunted house filled with the most peculiar guests to challenge you to be brave.

The Antidote: After you’ve visited the grand Bly Manor, perhaps a lovely flight to Paris for croissants will put you in the right mood. “Emily in Paris” follows an ambitious Marketing Executive from Chicago who lands her dream job and finds new adventure in the city of love and romance. Expect beautiful designer dresses, a handsome chef and new beginnings!

There’s nothing quite like a hospital that gives us the heebie jeebies. Nosocomphobics, we get it. While we know that a hospital should be a safe space for rehabilitation, at times, needles, blood and crazy nurses like Mildred in “Ratched” will make anyone’s skin crawl.

The Antidote: Once you’ve escaped the asylum in “Ratched”, it’s time to find some joy with “Hospital Playlist”. The series follows the friendship of five amazing doctors who are passionate about saving the lives of patients. Dive into the love stories that will make you forget all about your nosocomephobia.

Does seeing a witch in action make you shudder with horror? Perhaps you have a case of Wiccaphobia, the fear of witches or witchcraft. Try watching “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” that tells the story of a mixed-blood teenage witch who tries to strike a balance between her human and witch side. Its captivating storyline, slick visuals and beautiful special effects might just be the trick to forget your fear of witches.

The Antidote: If you’re still interested in a magical tale, consider throwing it back to the “Cardcaptor Sakura” series. A young girl, Sakura, breaks the seal of a magical book and releases the spirits of the cards inside. With the help of her best friend, Tomoyo, and the card keeper named Kerberos, Sakura must now become a ‘Cardcaptor’ and retrieve them.

Remember the days when zombies used to be slow? Probably not since the heart-pounding super zombies that we saw in “#Alive”. If you’re down with the case of kinemortophobia, watch this Korean thriller where you can see the struggle of two humans trying to survive through a zombie attack – their fighting spirit might just be enough to motivate you to face your fear of zombies for good!

The Antidote: If you’re tired from running away from zombies, why not get acquainted with the strange and unique creatures in “Spirited Away”? This Studio Ghibli masterpiece will take you on a fantastic and extraordinary adventure from the point of view of a little boy named Chihiro.

Phasmophobia is the fear of ghosts. The sudden appearance of invisible beings at the most unexpected times will give anyone goosebumps but that doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. Just look at how a family in “Satan’s Slaves” can put their fears aside to save themselves from the many evil spirits that haunt their lives.

The Antidote: For less threatening ghastly spirits, steer in the direction of the Korean series “Hi Bye, Mama!”. Starring Kim Tae Hee, this heartwarming series follows the ghost of a woman who returns to life for 49 days and reunites with her family.

Aside from ghosts and zombies, people can fear technology, a phobia that is known as Technophobia. Documentaries like “The Social Dilemma” have shown us how social media can have a serious impact on society including mental health. Once you have a look at the dark side of our screens, you’ll be sure to be more careful when it comes to technology.

The Antidote: On the bright side of technological innovation, “Love Alarm” gives us a glimpse into a world where an app can notify you when someone you like is within a close radius.

We know if you’re reading this, you do not have a case of cinematophobic. Watch all these perfectly splendid shows and more so you can stream and scream this Halloween, on Netflix.

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#JackReacher: Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz In Talks To Direct Sequel

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions are reportedly eyeing Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz to helm the sequel of the 2012 action-thriller, “Jack Reacher“.

According to Deadline, the studios are seemingly interested in hiring Zwick and Herskovitz to direct the movie as well as to rewrite the script for “Jack Reacher 2“, which was originally drafted by Richard Wenk. The highly anticipated sequel is rumoured to be titled “Never Go Back”, based on a Jack Reacher novel released in 2013.

Tom Cruise, who starred in the original, has already signed on to reprise his role in “Jack Reacher 2”.

If the deal works out, it will be a reunion for Zwick, Herskovits, and Cruise, as they worked together in the 2003 war film “The Last Samurai”.

The “Jack Reacher” movie adaptations are based on a series of novels of the same name, all authored by Jim Grant under the pen name of Lee Child. The novel is the namesake of the titular character, a 36-year-old former Major in the United States Army Military Police Corps. Legion of fans fell in love with the fictional recluse as he makes a name for himself by investigating suspicious and often perilous cases in New York.

The 1st film is based on the 9th book in the seriestitled “One Shot” while the 2nd movie will follow the storyline of the 18th novel.


Richard Durand’s In Search Of Sunrise Tour Comes To Malaysia

Richard Durand kick starts the fun this August!

Known for his dynamic sound that fuses the best of trance and progressive with edgy techno and electro influences, Dutch DJ, Richard Durand has the ability to work crowds into a frenzy through his performances. As a producer, Durand first gained worldwide fame when Tiësto personally asked him to remix four different singles including “Lethal Industry” and “Flight 643”.

A remix of Armin van Buuren’s “In And Out Of Love” followed alongside hugely popular reworks of famous tracks including Prodigy’s “Smack My B*tch Up” and Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars”. Durand released his debut album, Always The Sun, in 2009 and following in the success of his debut album, Durand released his second album Wide Awake in 2011.

With a successful career on the go, Durand makes for one of the most demanded DJs worldwide and thanks to our friends at Asahi Super Dry, Richard Durand will kick start the party this August at Play Club @ The Roof on Friday.

Venue: Play Club @ The Roof, First Avenue, Bandar Utama

Admissions:RM35 (Early bird), RM50 (Normal)

For more information, visit the event page on Facebook.


BTS Break The Silence Review: An Intimate Musical Documentary

BTS Break The Silence! Yes, you heard me ARMYS. The boys did it again! As a self-professed Army, we feel that the boys never fail to entertain and move us to tears of joy with their humbling yet charismatic personalities.

We recently got to watch the untold story of BTS, where the K-pop mega stars took us behind the scenes of their 2018-2019 “Love Yourself” tour called Love Yourself: Speak Yourself which is the sequel to the band’s Burn The Stage: The Movie (2018) and made it extra special for us by showing the personal side of themselves. That made it lovely all together.

In “Break The Silence”, the first scene begins in New York City, where the boys snap pictures of themselves on the rooftop of their hotel and the youngest member Jungkook  records the beautiful sunrise on his phone overlooking the Big Apple. However, their actual first concert kicks-off at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

From there on, their day begins. The scenes feature the group from the moment they leave the hotel room to the stadium, to prepping up for the show, to performing to a huge crowd of fans thereafter! Watching them behind the scenes, was a delight.

Although the “Love Yourself Tour” comprises 62 concerts in 14 countries, “Break The Silence”, only features footage from a few counties, among them include the US, UK, France, Brazil, Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. The reason for it is probably due to the fact that the entire film only runs for a little more than 60 minutes.

Hence, director Park Jun-soon probably compressed their most successful shows into one musical documentary. Overall, the film did not fail! Viewers were hooked on for every single minute of it. What truly made this documentary one to be cherished was not so much of their stage presence, persona and shows, but rather the humility and sense of humour BTS possess.

From each country featured, the tale of each seven members Jin, RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook getting through the tour and how they spend time in between tours is depicted in this music documentary.

The seven-piece are just purely themselves. J-Hope loves hanging out on his own in between tours visiting parks, while Jin likes going out in a simple casual t-shirt, jumper and jeans, RM on the other hand visits a what seems like a wooden-art workshop. The adventures are embarked on during their free time in between their US tours. V, on the hand, is filmed walking the hip streets of London by himself just enjoying the day like a typical tourist.

BTS made history in becoming the first South Korean group to perform at the famous Wembley stadium. In the footage, Jin is showed playing tribute to the band Queen and to its lead singer, the late Freddie Mercury, as he hails the famous Mercury ‘Ay-Yo’ chant and the rest of the ARMYS following suit! Oh that was indeed a poignant moment for the boy-band having the honour and privilege to perform on the same stage as the legendary Queen did in 1985.

The most intriguing part for us was their Saudi Arabia tour. BTS set another record by becoming the first non-Saudi Arabian artists to perform in the country at Riyadh’s King Fahd International Stadium, playing to a 30,000 strong audience.

Suga in the film shares about the strict procedure the group had to adhere to in the conservative Saudi Arabia in order to perform a memorable show for their Saudi fans. But for Suga and his band members, that was not a difficult task and they nailed it during their concert. Swarms of ARMYS jam packed the stadium while the city of Riyadh was lit up with the colour purple, a colour close to BTS and their ARMY fans.

The film finally concludes with their South Korean tour. The boy-band then renders a moving tribute to all their fans worldwide at the very end of their concerts, with BTS lightsticks flashing up, lit with the colour purple.

But what really moved us, was each member’s homage towards their fellow member and also to the entire Big Hit Entertainment crew and their managers, last but not least to Big Hit’s founder Bang Si-hyuk, professionally known as “Hitman” Bang who made this journey extra special and possible for them.

In a nutshell, the movie was entertaining and fun, we enjoyed it throughout although we personally felt more footage of Suga would have been nice. We would encourage all BTS fans to take the time out, sit back, relax and enjoy watching “Break The Silence” at a cinema near you, its nothing quite like watching the boys on a movie screen. We can’t help but conclude with this popular BTS phrase, ‘I purple you‘.

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Exclusive: James Blunt Talks About Ed Sheeran, Donald Trump & Finding A Bar In KL

After neglecting us for over 14 years, English singer-songwriter James Blunt finally made his way to this humble nation in Southeast Asia. James Blunt made a stop in Malaysia back in March to promote his brand new “The AfterLove” album – which came out last year.

On the 25th of March 2018, James Blunt put up the most explosive concert that the Dewan Wawasan Menara PGRM in Cheras had ever seen. At 44, James Blunt delighted his fans with his high-powered vocals, witty and sarcastic comments throughout the show. Anyone who passed on the concert because you thought James Blunt is old news and outdated, you guys missed out one hell of a concert.

Yes, I know what you’re all thinking, he did belt out his 2005 hit single, “You’re Beautiful”. Aside from that, James Blunt also sang other crowd favourites like “Goodbye My Lover”, “High”, “Carry You Home”, “1973”, and “Bonfire Heart”.

Team Hype managed to catch James for about 10 minutes and had a quick chat with the singer before he took stage.

HYPE: James, what took you so long to come to Malaysia? It’s been 14 years!

James Blunt: I know, it’s terrible! Well, I’m fortunate to get invited to Malaysia now, and thank you so much for having me. I’ve toured the world and passed Asia many times, but I never played here in Kuala Lumpur. So tonight will be a thrill!

That’s the whole point of doing a fifth world tour – to go to places I’ve never been to before.

I’ve actually been to Malaysia once on a holiday, but not to Kuala Lumpur. That was in 1995. It was just across the border from Thailand – it had an English name – Georgetown!

JB: I think it’s green, very humid, and green is a compliment definitely. The food is fantastic. I walked around in Little India last night, and people have been really nice to me.

H: Let’s talk about your new album. You’re giving us “AfterLove” after 14 years, and you wrote most of the songs on the album. What’s the story?

JB: “The AfterLove” for me is a very special album, I took me two years of writing and recording it. Some great things and tragic things have happened to me, so I had lots of inspiration. All of the songs seem to fall into the same kinda idea. It’s about after the love is gone, after a relationship has ended, or when the lust in a relationship has ended, and you’re left with the ashes of that. It can also be something more long-term, like when someone has died, when your alcohol addiction is over, or after all the fame is gone. The theme is the same, and it applied to all the songs in the album. Hence, After Love.

H: Our favourite song from “AfterLove” is “Love Me Better”. How did you come up with it?

JB: I wrote it with Ryan Tedder in a hotel room in London. Some guy came and banged on the door and wouldn’t shut up. Some things I do are not normally what the record label want me to do, sometimes I just want to have fun with it. He said “Let’s do this, and let’s be very direct with lyrics“.

The lyrics in the song aren’t exactly the nicest things to say about me, it’s a lot of unpleasant things, but it’s also the truth. I think we should confront all the mean things people say, especially on social media – and the same time – have some fun with it.

H: There are a lot of James around. What makes you different from all the other James out there?

JB: Yeah, James is a very common name in the west. Personally when I realised my name was James, I realised it was boring (laughs). What makes me different is that I write songs from real-life experiences. I write songs for me, I don’t write them for you. I write about what’s going on in my life. It’s hard for me to express my feelings over dinner – cos I’m an Englishman – so I write songs about them. And then I’m foolish enough to put those songs out! Some people connect to those songs because they think “Yeah, I feel the same way too.”

H: Who are you going to collaborate with next?

JB: You know I love Ryan Tedder. I do write with other people as well, it’s just that most people I write with aren’t that famous. We tend to be obsessed with famous names. I did one song with Ed Sheeran and I speak a lot about him cos he’s the most famous dude I’ve written with. And he’s awesome.

H: What inspired you to write “Someone Singing Along”?

JB: Oh, it’s actually written about Donald Trump! He and other politicians at the moment are trying to divide us by saying that we should be afraid of people who are different from us. While politicians are trying to separate us, music brings people together. People stand shoulder-to-shoulder with people they don’t know just to listen to music. I’ve toured the world. Everywhere I go, peoples’ skin colour changes, and yet, no matter how different they are, they all connect to the songs the same way, with the same emotions.

H: So James, you tour a lot. Tell us – how do you like to unwind after a long day? What do you do to chill? You watch Netflix?

JB: I’m really not much of a television watcher. You know what, normally I meet with my band, fans or guests after the show. But realistically, when we go to a new place, we like to explore the place that we’re in, and I’m English so we end up looking for a bar to have a couple of drinks. Do you have any recommendations? (laughs)

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#TMNTPavilionKL: “School Holiday Pow Wow” Set To Impress TMNT Fans Of All Ages

The school holidays are finally here, and what better way to spend it than to join the ninja training with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo?

The “School Holiday Pow Wow” event has reached Pavilion KL, and it promises a whole lot of fun for the whole family. The activity will encourage shoppers to explore their inner mutant ninja from today (Friday, 27th May) until 12th June at Pavilion’s Centre Court.

A ninja action zone has been set up for young children, where they will be able to rumble and tumble through different zones with different difficulty levels, depending on their age and strengths.

There are 5 areas in the ninja action zones:

Also, be the first 200 early birds to purchase the zone tickets from 10am to 12pm daily and be rewarded with free pizza-flavoured popcorn, courtesy of GSC Cinemas.

The admission price for any 1 zone is RM5, but a special price of RM20 will be offered to participants who buy tickets for all 5 zones. Zone tickets can be purchased at Ninja Action Zones Counter, Centre Court, Level 2. Tickets purchased are valid for 1 session only but can be used at any zone.

We know you’re thinking, “But I’m not a kid, what else can I do there?”

Don’t fret, there are posters and standees showcasing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ “untold story through the years” on display, together with specially-curated collectibles. The life-sized statues of Leo, Ralph, Donnie, and Mikey, direct from New York City, will also be on display for their first time ever in Malaysia!

Who wouldn’t like a photo with the beloved ninja turtles? ;)

If that’s not enough for you, we trust that the inner child in you will come scrambling out once you see the variety of limited edition merchandises at the pop-up store!

“School Holiday Pow Wow” is held in conjunction with the release of the highly anticipated action-adventure sequel “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows”, which will reach Malaysian cinemas on 2nd June.


#AhBoystToMen4: Meet Apple Chan, The Film’s First Female Lieutenant Officer

There’s a new “ah boy” in town and it’s a she!

TVB actress Apple Chan (陳芷尤) will be starring as “Ah Boys To Men”‘s first ever female officer. According to director Jack Neo, adding a female officer to the film felt very “fitting”.

“Actually, women (serving) in the Singapore Armed Forces is very common, especially in the Armour unit. There are female tank officers, female armour officers… so to include a female officer is very fitting and appropriate,” said the helmer.

Apple Chan, who was born in Hong Kong but holds a Singapore PR, will be playing a lieutenant in the Armour unit named Zhang Xinyi. In speaking with Channel NewsAsia, she said that she felt honoured to be the film’s first “ah boy”. She shared, “Wearing the uniform, I already feel very proud. So much so that I feel like I want to serve the nation now.”

Also, she told the media outlet that she had nothing but respect for women serving in the army. “It’s not common… and they are very good representatives for females in terms of gender equality,” she explained.

It was reported that the film began production on 29th June and it will include production of the series’ 5th instalment.

“Ah Boys To Men 4”, which is expected to hit cinemas at the end of 2017, sees the return of Tosh Zhang as Sergeant Ong, Wang Weiliang as Lobang, Joshua Tan as Ken Chow, and Maxi Lim as Aloysius “Wayang King” Jin.

Sources: The Straits Times, MMO, Channel NewsAsia / Featured image: MMO, The Straits Times.

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Fantastic Beasts 2: Jude Law On Young Dumbledore’s Sexuality & Grindelwald Relationship

Recasting a well beloved character in a popular franchise is always a tricky situation. Yet when it was announced that Jude Law would portray young Albus Dumbledore in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”, it felt like he fitted in.

In speaking with Entertainment Weekly, the 45-year-old actor talked about his character’s sexuality in the highly-anticipated sequel. There’s also a question if Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp)’s relationship will be explored.

Years after the “Harry Potter” books were released, author J.K. Rowling dropped a shocking revelation when she said she “always thought Dumbledore was gay” and he had a romantic past with another wizard, Gellert Grindelwald. Naturally, Potterheads are wondering if Dumbledore’s queerness would become a plot point.

“Jo Rowling revealed some years back that Dumbledore was gay. That was a question I actually asked Jo and she said, yes, he’s gay. But as with humans, your sexuality doesn’t necessarily define you; he’s multifaceted,” Law told the publication.

He added, “I suppose the question is: How is Dumbledore’s sexuality depicted in this film? What you got to remember this is only the second Fantastic Beasts film in a series and what’s brilliant about Jo’s writing is how she reveals her characters, peels them to the heart over time“.

“You’re just getting to know Albus in this film, and there’s obviously a lot more to come. We learn a little about his past in the beginning of this film, and characters and their relationships will unfold naturally which I’m excited to reveal. But we’re not going to reveal everything all at once,” the Brit explained.

Just like the case with Dumbledore’s sexuality, the upcoming sequel will not delve further into the relationship between him and Grindelwald. “I don’t actually have any scenes with Johnny. As I said before, this is only Part 2 of a longer story. I’ve always admired him from afar, but we don’t know each other, and I’ve not yet met him on this. In many ways that suits the relationship as it’s been many years since they’ve seen each other. So there’s complexity in that that’s fun to mine. Again, the past will reveal itself,” the actor revealed.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” opens in cinemas 15th November 2018.


#RebelHeartTour: Ticketing + Deets For Madonna’s Hong Kong Concert Announced

Just days after the launch of Madonna’s highly-anticipated Rebel Heart Tour, Live Nation announced today that Madonna is adding more tour dates in Asia.

Madonna will make a historic visit to Hong Kong performing live for the first time with her “Rebel Heart Tour”. The concert is set in spring on 17th February 2016 at the Asia World-Expo Arena, Hong Kong.

Other stops in Asia include Taipei, Macau, Bangkok, as well as her first concert in Tokyo in a decade.

The “Rebel Heart Tour” launched to a sold out crowd and rave reviews in Montreal, Quebec on 9th September and will continue throughout North America, UK and Europe through the rest of 2015 and into 2016.

The Hong Kong concert tickets will go on sale on 25th September 2015 at 10am and will be available at HK Ticketing website and hotline. Tickets are priced at HKD 2,488/1,888/ 1,488/688, with 6 Premium VIP Packages available.

For more information on VIP packages, please visit www.hkticketing.com .

In Asia, Citi cardholders will have access to a pre-sale opportunity in Hong Kong, Taipei and Bangkok. Hong Kong Citi Cardholders can enjoy priority booking of tickets from 21st – 23rd September at www.hkticketing.com or hotline (852) 31 288 288, while tickets last.

Lifetime Legacy members of Icon (Madonna’s official fan club) will receive first access to tickets and VIP Packages. Fans may purchase an “Icon Live Pass” today, which gives them access not only to ticket and VIP Package pre-sales, but also a free membership to Icon, access to a tour devoted forum, and an exclusive tour gift.

Fans who are already registered simply need to upgrade their account with the Icon Live Pass on www.madonna.com.

Madonna fans visiting Hong Kong in February can also take this opportunity to immerse in new cultures and experience the auspicious lead up to Chinese New Year.

Some must-dos during springtime in Asia’s World City include a visit to Mong Kok Flower Market, admire festive decorations at Times Square, experience “Poon Choi” (big bowl feast) making at Shanghai Min not to mention seek good fortune at the Che Kung Temple and Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree.

For complete tour and ticket information, please visit Madonna’s official website or Live Nationa’s website.

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Hype’s Must Watch: Mother!

Jennifer Lawrence looks terrifyingly beautiful in the first teaser trailer for “Black Swan” director Darren Aronofky’s “Mother!” (stylised as “mother!”).

The upcoming psychological thriller is selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 74th Venice International Film Festival. It also stars award-winning Spanish actor Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ed Harris, Domhnall Gleeson, and comedian Kristen Wiig.

“Mother!” centres on a couple (played by Jennifer Lawrence and Jaview Bardem), whose relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. The trailer (above) shows Lawrence’s character walking silently through an empty house. Although the clip doesn’t show much, it’s pretty disturbing to watch.

“What brings you to us,” Lawrence’s voice asks.

“They told me I could find a room here,” Ed Harris’ voice responds. “He thought we were a bed and breakfast,” Javier Bardem wittily says.

During the Reykjavík Film Festival, Aronofky said, “I think all my early films were more about ideas. When it came to ‘Noah,’ there was this clear environmental statement in the original gospel, which was interesting to push forward. My latest project (“Mother!”) probably has similar political intentions behind it, but first and foremost responsibility as a narrative filmmaker is making something that is emotional and can connect with an audience.”

Moreover, cinematographer Matthew Libatique shot most of the film on 16mm film. Digital cameras were only used on the final day of shooting so that the movie could support CGI-heavy visuals.

“Mother!” is slated for release on 15th September 2017.


(UPDATE) Hype’s Now Playing: BIGBANG – Let’s Not Fall In Love

BIGBANG‘s “MADE” project has come to a conclusion with the release of “Let’s Not Fall In Love”, one of the songs from the August release of their project.

The song is one of the mid-tempo tracks that will be included in the full album. The official music video was released alongside the track as well.

“Let’s Not Fall In Love” is a mellow track written and composed by leader G-Dragon. While its genre is similar to “If You”, which is said to be “the saddest song BIGBANG ever written“, the song highlights his burden and worries when one is falling in love instead. It is also one of those songs that fans will be excited to hear as T.O.P is once again flaunting his singing skills.

As seen in the music video, the members showed their boyish charm while spending time with their crushes. The use of dreamy, pastel colours in the music video depicts the happiness of being in love, but it also showcases their broken-hearted faces after they vow not to fall in love. The use of conversation also added depth and emotion to the mid-tempo track.

Check out the “Let’s Not Fall In Love” MV making film too, while you’re at it! You’re welcome ;)

The group will conclude their promotional activities by releasing the full album on 1st September 2015.

For more information, visit BIGBANG’s Facebook page and Twitter.


#KTMB: Komuter Lines’ Upgrades To Cause Train Delays Until 2019

Uh oh, we’ve got bad news for public transport commuters, especially for those who rely on the train to travel to work.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) announced that with the roll out of a new timetable this Friday (27th May 2016), the public will see longer queues for trains, with the waiting time expected to double during off-peak hours. Oh, and the delays carry on until 2019!

It was reported that the delays for KTM trains is to facilitate upgrades being carried out for the Komuter lines in the Klang Valley. From this Friday (27th May) onwards, train intervals at the Seremban-Batu Caves route will increase from 15 minutes to 45 minutes during weekends and public holidays as well as off-peak hours on weekdays.

Similarly, the Sungai Buloh-Pelabuhan Klang route and the KL Sentral-Pelabuhan Klang route will have 45-minute intervals for both ways during off-peak hours (9am – 4pm and 8pm – 12:30am). As for the Tanjung Malim-Pelabuhan Klang route, riders can expect an intervals of 30 minutes during peak hours (5:30am – 9am) while the intervals for the reverse direction at the time will take up between 30 minutes to 1 hour.

According to Malay Mail, the upgrading works will also affect KTM Intercity, ETS, and KTM Cargo. Plan well and plan ahead, peeps!

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Man In Johor Bahru Reportedly Injures & Shaves Wife’s Head

It was reported yesterday (Wednesday, 15th November) that a man had not only physically abused his wife but also shaved her head.

The scary incident took place Taman Kluang Setia, Kluang at their home after the accuser, Koh Shen Hwa, suspected that his wife, Tan Zhen Shan, was cheating on him with another man. The news has since gone viral on Facebook with many netizens expressing their anger towards the husband and sympathy for the victim.

Zhen Shan’s father, Tan Hock Hai, suspected something was terribly wrong when he received a shocking photo of his daughter’s shaved head via WhatsApp. When he couldn’t get through to his 32-year-old daughter, the 63-year-old man lodged a police report at the Petaling Jaya police station at approximately 1pm.

Police chief Mohamad Laham revealed that Hock Hai had received a distressing call from his daughter the night before. According to him, Zhen Shan was crying profusely about wanting to return to Petaling Jaya, but withhold what was going on behind closed doors. Photos show that not only did Zhen Shan sustained injuries on her face but also her arms.

It is believed that Shen Hwa, who works as a contractor, has been detained by the police.

Sources: Utusan, Oriental Daily, KL吹水站 (1)(2) / Featured image: Utusan.


Note, The New Way

We’ve been waiting for this since our post in early August. And this morning, Samsung Malaysia Electronics unveiled its latest mobile innovation, the Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1.

Outfitted with the functionality and precision of a pen and paper on a 10.1-inch large display, the GALAXY Note 10.1 is designed to provide people with endless possibilities in elevating creativity and productivity.

The GALAXY Note 10.1 incorporates an unprecedented multitasking experience with its new “Multiscreen” feature. Yes, you can now do more than just one thing (not to be confused with running multiple apps in the background) with two different applications side-by-side simultaneously.

Watch a YouTube video and jot down ideas all at the same time? Sure. Surf the web while mindlessly sketching? Of course.

Also, and this is its most interesting feature (in our opinion) is that the GALAXY Note 10.1 comes with the “S Pen“. Really, who needs fingers anymore? Just kidding. The S Pen allows for superior precision, and is designed to help you express your thoughts in the most intuitive and natural way.

This also means that you can now Photoshop on the go!

Constructed with a 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of internal RAM, and a 5-megapixel main camera, the GALAXY Note 10.1 is right now probably the leading product of its own genre. Users can also expect to optimize learning through Samsung’s “Learning Hub” (downloadable via Samsung Apps in Malaysia by the end of 2012).

The Learning Hub allows people access to multimedia educational content for all ages! Think, taking note directly on a eTextbook, video lectures, and interactive coaching.

Pretty amazing, if you ask us. The Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 is priced at RRP RM2,199.

For more pictures from the launch, click!

For more information, visit Samsung Malaysia’s website or hit up Samsung Mobile Malaysia’s Faceook page.

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#Typo2 Keyboard + #iPhone6 Launch Date

Say bye bye to words that don’t make any sense as a clip-on will soon be made available to help you type better on your iPhone.

LA-based Typo Products LLC, which lists TV personality and “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest as its co-founder, has launched an iPhone accessory called the “Typoe 2”. It’s a clip-on physical keyboard/keyboard accessory that gives iPhone 5 or 5S owners a proper QWERTY keyboard alternative to the iPhone’s on-screen keyboard.

What’s more, the keys are backlit so that texting in the dark isn’t a problem! It also has its own features such as automatically offering caps, quotations marks, and apostrophes as and when its predictive text system thinks they’re required.

In fact, there was a previous version called, the “Typo Keyboard”, which was launched in January but was quickly withdrawn because BlackBerry had filed a lawsuit claiming intellectual property violation. BlackBerry won the case and as such, a sales ban was imposed on the accessory.

But that didn’t stop the company because, nevertheless, “Typo 2” will start shipping in September and will be priced at USD99 (plus international shipping costs for overseas buyers). More information is available via their official website here.

Meanwhile, in other iPhone-related news, the next-generation iPhone/iPhone 6 is expected to be revealed at Apple’s “big media event” on 9th September. What do you think the smartphone(s) will look like? Apparently, Taiwanese superstar Jimmy Lin knows.

Let’s see if it’s spot-on this time around!


Hype’s Movie Review: #TheGoodDinosaur, An Enjoyable Family Film With Outstanding Visuals

There are a lot of “firsts” for Disney–Pixar‘s “The Good Dinosaur“. Not only is it the first Pixar film to be helmed by Korean-American animator Peter Sohn, but also the first non-summer movie to be released since 2004’s “The Incredibles“.

Not to mention, it marks the first time that Pixar has released 2 movies in the same year, with the first one being “Inside Out“.

Similar to every other Pixar film, “The Good Dinosaur” starts with a simple “What if?” premise. It asks: “What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct?“

That question can lead to endless possibilities, but Pixar decided to create a world where dinosaurs have simply evolved into creatures with superior intelligence. In other words, Pixar doesn’t really care about scientific accuracy or even try to go deep into thinking what might really happen if dinosaurs still exist.

In this alternate world, we are introduced to Henry (voiced by Jeffrey Wright) and Ida (voiced by Frances McDormand), a pair of apatosaurs who operate a farm like humans and live in a log cabin. They have 3 adorable kids together: Libby (voiced by Maleah Padilla), Buck (voiced by Marcus Scribner), and Arlo (voiced by Raymond Ochoa).

Arlo is the smallest and the last to hatch among his siblings. But unlike Libby and Buck, he is so easily terrified by everything that it stops him from carrying out his tasks. His timid nature also prevents him from making his mark on a corn silo that signifies his contribution to the family.

As Arlo’s father, Henry never gives up on him and encourages him to overcome his fears by putting him in charge of catching the pests that have been raiding their silo. But in the process of doing so, Arlo becomes lost and stranded in a place far away from home.

In order to reunite with his family, Arlo is forced to travel through a harsh and mysterious landscape with his unlikely human friend Spot while learning to confront his fears.

But as you expect, Arlo manages to overcome his fears, which is why there are a lot of things about “The Good Dinosaur” that threw me off.

At first glance, it looks like a very simple film that has nothing much to offer, even by Pixar standards. The storyline doesn’t make as much as impact on us and I can’t help but wonder if that’s because it’s basically a “coming-of-age” movie for children. After all, this film has a slightly cliché plot about overcoming your fears. The story is also inspired by the classic “a boy and his dog” story, only this time the boy is an apatosaurus named Arlo (voiced by Raymond Ochoa) and his dog is a human child named Spot (voiced by Jack Bright).

Sure, it’s the first time that a movie depicts an alternate world where dinosaurs never became extinct, but much of its content seems oddly familiar. The portrayal of Arlo’s relationship with his father Poppa/Henry seems to have taken a page from Simba’s relationship with his father Mufasa in Disney’s “The Lion King”. In certain scenes, the film gave us major “The Land Before Time” and “Dumbo” feels, but that’s not entirely revolutionary for Pixar.

That’s not to say “The Good Dinosaur” is the worst film in Pixar history because this film succeeded in capturing our hearts with a few key moments as well.

The voice performances in this movie aren’t particularly outstanding, but the interactions between Arlo and Spot are absolutely pleasing and heartwarming. Their relationship is the emotional core of the film and audiences may develop emotional attachments to both characters.

There’s also a very trippy scene where Spot and Arlo suffered from bizarre hallucinations after accidentally eating some fermented fruit. The scene was both horrifying and funny at the same time. Parents might have a lot of explanation to do when their children walk out of the theatre and question the meaning behind that particular scene.

What I also enjoyed most about this movie is its hyper-realistic environments that left me open-mouthed. The whole film looks like it was shot in live action because the effects are staggeringly detailed.

The filmmakers and effects team apparently created the river sequences based on their rafting trips down the Snake River in Wyoming and the American River. Having experienced how powerful the water felt, the effects team was able to create those river sequences that will allow audiences to experience the kind of rapids Arlo encounters.

All in all, “The Good Dinosaur” is a pretty enjoyable family film with outstanding visuals and fun characters. The film didn’t hit us right in the feels as much as its Pixar predecessor, “Inside Out”, did, but it’s still worth checking out.

Spot will surely rise as the most popular character of the film due to his brave and innocent nature.

“The Good Dinosaur” is slated to hit theatres on 26th November 2015. Don’t forget to check out some of its fun facts here ;)

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

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The Academy Adds Andy Lau, Shah Rukh Khan & Singapore’s Chin Han As Part Of Its Diversity Push

In an effort to push for diversity, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited a record number of 928 new members, topping last year’s record of 774 new members and making the 2018 class the largest in history.

A large number of Asian film personalities have been invited to join the rank, some of the notable ones include Hong Kong actor Andy Lau, Chinese-Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro, Taiwanese actress and director Sylvia Chang, and Bollywood giants Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor, Madhura Dixit, and more.

Singaporean actor Chin Han and documentary filmmaker Tan Pin Pin were also among the invitees who will be part of The Academy’s drive for diversity.

The invitations were issued to 59 different countries. 38 percent of them are people of colour while 49 percent are female.

Meanwhile, the most recognisable names from Hollywood invited into the fold include Tiffany Haddish, Dave Chappelle, Mindy Kaling, Amy Schumer, Kumail Nanjiani, Wendell Pierce, Gina Rodriguez, Sarah Silverman, J.K. Rowling, Kendrick Lamar, Questlove and Jada Pinkett Smith.

In the past, The Academy has been criticised for its overwhelmingly white male membership, thus spawning the #OscarsSoWhite and #MeToo movements. So this year marks The Academy’s largest and most diverse class ever.

A post shared by The Academy (@theacademy)


#Hardwell360: Hardwell Releases Innovative BTS “360 Experience” Video

Always one step ahead of the curve and following in the success of his debut artiste album “United We Are“, Hardwell now welcomes fans to join him on a fully immersive 360 experience, with an innovative look behind the scenes of his recent Miami Music Week escapades.

Utilising forward-thinking 360 cameras and all-new technologies, let Hardwell take you on an impressive behind-the-scenes tour of his latest Miami trip as he prepares for his main stage Ultra set in his hotel room, drives around the city top-down with familiar faces Dannic, Dyro, and Kill The Buzz and shops for sneakers around Miami Beach – but it doesn’t stop there.

Setting himself apart from many single dimension aftermovies, the future-forward equipment rigged with a multitude of cameras and visually stimulating additions, offers up a full 360 degree view that the audience can easily watch via the latest version of the YouTube app.

Become part of Hardwell’s Miami experience and get the feeling you are actually there, standing in Ultra’s main stage DJ booth and driving a convertible on Ocean Drive via this exclusive 360 experience!

Watch this on your phone, tilt your screen:

For more information on Hardwell, hit up his website or Facebook page.


Hype’s Movie Review: Luke Scott’s Directorial Debut, #Morgan, Does Not Meet Expectations

Expectations are high because “Morgan” was directed by Luke Scott, son of renowned British film director Sir Ridley Scott. Sir Ridley Scott also serves as the film’s producer.

The upcoming thriller sci-fi film is somewhat like a mix of Alex Garland’s “Ex Machina” (2015) and Luc Besson’s “Lucy” (2014). It isn’t horrible, but it isn’t fascinating either.

“The Witch” actress Anya Taylor-Joy plays the titular character, Morgan, a bioengineered product created with synthetic DNA. Chronologically, she’s 5 years old; appearance wise, she’s a teenager. However, life for the once happy humanoid turns upside down when she “accidentally” stabs one of scientists in the eye. Ouch.

So the question is, “What or who is Morgan?”

According to the official plot, Morgan is “created and raised in a laboratory environment by a group of scientists, she defies nature with her super-human qualities”. The film opens with a security camera footage (which reminded us of “Paranormal Activity”) of how and why Morgan gouges out the eye of Kathy Grieff (played Jennifer Jason Leigh). At first we thought, “She’s a robot, of course she has no feelings or remorse”. Oh, how wrong we were. It turns out that emo girl has too much feelings.

Morgan may have super-human abilities, but she is not mentally stable.

After the incident, Helsinski, the company funding the experiment, sends risk management consultant Lee Weathers (played by Kate Mara) to assess the experiment, known as the L-9 line. She meets Ted Brenner (played by Michael Yare) upon her arrival at the remote laboratory located somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. During her briefing with Ted, she also meets the intelligent group that tends to Morgan – Amy Mensler (played by Rose Leslie) the behaviourist; Skip Vronsky (played by Boyd Holbrook) the chef; nurse Brenda Finch (played by Vinette Robinson) and her husband Dr. Darren Finch (played by Chris Sullivan); Dr. Simon Ziegler (played by Toby Jones), one of the head scientists of the project.

Lee, who is a hard-as-nail woman, then finds out that Morgan is the team’s 3rd attempt in creating an artificial being. Before she meets Morgan, Dr. Ziegler shows Lee all of Morgan’s baby videos and explains to her how Morgan came to be, convincing us that the project is no longer in the name of science. Seeing how the group (except for Skip) is protective of Morgan, it’s safe to say that the film’s sub-theme is “family”.

Let’s not forget that our very own Michelle Yeoh plays Dr. Lui Cheng aka Morgan’s “mother”. Though she doesn’t have much screen time, she has the most memorable line in the whole film. “You know the worst thing you can do to a person trapped inside a room? Press their face against the window,” she said to Lee.

One of the problems with the film’s script, written by Seth Owen, is that very little explanations are given. We have so many unanswered questions throughout the film: What is the objective of this project? Who taught Morgan how to fight as well as she does? Why is Dr. Shapiro (played by Paul Giamatti) the psychiatrist so angry and aggressive all the time? Does Morgan have any other clothes aside from a grey hoodie? Why are there so many close-up shots? Who or what is Lee?

Also, what’s up with Amy and Morgan? The 2 characters seem to have a disturbing romantic attraction towards each other. Amy is the only person Morgan trusts and when Morgan looks into Amy eyes, it’s like she’s in love. Is that relationship healthy for a 5-year-old and her doctor? We don’t think so.

Fun fact: Owen’s script landed on the “Black List of Best Unproduced Screenplays” in 2014.

But this is not to say that the movie was without its good qualities. One of the saving graces was the beautiful lush forest scenes that were done by cinematographer Mark Patten. The fighting scene between Morgan and Lee is also quite impressive. Female hand-to-hand combat is not something very commonly found in movies these days.

All in all, “Morgan” is a mindless thriller that can be pretty entertaining if you don’t compare it with “Ex Machina”. We think that the sci-fi movie did okay against an 8-million-dollar budget.

“Morgan” is slated to be released in cinemas nationwide on 1st September 2016.

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

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Get Mesmerised With Lights Performances Happening At Luna Lights Wonderland Festival

Finding a suitable spot to spend a quality time with your family and friends? Then you’re in for a treat.

Whip out your handphones and camera cause there are plenty of Instagram-worthy shots to fill up your social media at the Luna Lights Wonderland festival. The attraction is held in Putrajaya for 2 weeks starting today up until early October this year.

One of the main highlights of the lights fest is their signature giant monkey mascot figure named the ‘LUNA Boy’. For those who are curious, the statue is one of the highest ever made in Malaysia – with 11 metres high!

Apart from that, visitors are expected to be enchanted with these interesting highlights:

The details to the Luna Lights Wonderland are as follows:

In addition, Luna Lights Wonderland carnival this year is also offering a special 20% special discount exclusively for adults. All you have to do is just by doing this 2 easy steps: Share this post on Facebook and also bring along the event’s flyers.


#SHINee: Jonghyun To Release Self-Composed Track “Inspiration” For SM Station

SHINee’s Jonghyun will be back with another SM Station track.

SM Entertainment teased the release of the track today (Monday, 5th December), and revealed that the 44th SM Station track will be completely self-produced by Jonghyun.

The number, titled “Inspiration”, is described as an R&B song “with an EDM sound”, and is specially written and composed by the SHINee singer himself. The track is also said to combine Jonghyun’s own unique musical style with an Oriental feeling and charm. He will also be working with IMLAY, an up-and-coming Korean EDM artiste, who will also have a hand in producing the song.

However, fans who attended his 2-day concert in Seoul over the weekend, “Jonghyun – X – Inspiration”, already had the chance to listen to him performed the track live.

This is also not Jonghyun’s first time contributing his vocals to the SM Station project, as he had a collaboration track with Korean singer Heritage in March, titled “Your Voice (한마디)”.

SM Station is SM Entertainment’s digital music project, designed to release 1 track per week for 52 weeks. The project, which started on 3rd February, aims to showcase the musical capabilities of a different artiste every week, including artistes from within SM Entertainment and also other music labels.

“Inspiration” is slated for release this Friday (9th December).

For more info, visit SM Entertainment’s official website and SM Station’s Instagram.


#SHE: Taiwanese Pop Trio Celebrates 15th Year Anniversary In The Music Biz

Can y’all believe that it’s been 15 years since S.H.E broke into the music scene?!

The Taiwanese pop trio – Selina Jen (任家萱), Hebe Tien (田馥甄) , and Ella Chen (陳嘉樺) – recently celebrated their 15th anniversary in style by holding their first fan sign event in 4 years.

To commemorated the special event, 1500 entry tickets were reportedly snapped up in 30 minutes. Giving a nod to their first ever fan sign appearance 15 years ago, Selina, Hebe, and Ella entered the venue on a convertible red hot Ferrari.

Both Selina and Ella were visibly emotional after receiving such overwhelming love from the thousands of fans present at the event. “Our hearts are filled with too many emotions and I couldn’t control my tears after seeing our fans here,” explained Selina.

Hebe also shared that she was very touched by the turn out when they entered the venue on the sports car. She jokingly said that she almost shed tears but Selina beat her to it.

In an industry usually dominated by boy bands and male musicians, S.H.E has defied the odds and proven why they’re arguably the most successful girl group to define an entire generation. 15 years later, these pop stars are going from strength to strength.

Looking back at their career, Ella mused, “Back then, we were eager to know the world but right now, all we want to do is to get to know ourselves.”

To celebrate their success, here’s a S.H.E megamix to take us down memory lane and remind us why we felt in love with the girls in the first place.

Hebe assures fans that S.H.E is in this for the long haul, saying, “We won’t go our separate ways. If we’re staying, we’re all in this together and we’ll all leave together if we have have to. There’s nothing that can pull me away from them (and) the 3 of us are priceless when we’re together.”

Congrats girls, we can’t wait to see what’s next ;)

Source: Toggle/ Featured Image: Vogue Tw.

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Local film makers KRU Studios digs its own grave with Vikingdom

Vikingdom, the big budget film by local film makers KRU which was directed by Yusry Abdul Halim has been severely criticised by Chicago-based Norse mythology expert, Karl E. H. Seighfried for crudely insulting Norse Gods and followers. The film which was claimed to be based on research in Scandinavian libraries and mythology on the myth, history, legend and poetry. However, Vikingdom has managed to turned that all upside down, making Thor the protector of mankind turn out to be an evil tyrant.

Seigfried claimed that he had repeatedly emailed the people at KRU, including the Company Director, Shireen M Hashim on the errors and mistakes made in the movie but failed to receive a response from them. He continued by saying that KRU either lied on its research and openly questioned Shireen on her promotional statement., “In the midst of time comes the clanging steel against steel, a collision of myth and history… Vikingdom”, and asked what myth and history was the film based on? Undoubtedly, his question was not answered.

Today however, following worldwide criticisms, KRU admits that Vikingdom is indeed just a fantasy and not produced from real history. With that, KRU has once again been slated by Seigfried who said to Yusry in an open letter that he had sold out his own film company with his statement. The mythologist’s frustration started when Yusry openly told local reporters that the West themselves were unsure about the real existence of Vikings and Thor. In response to that statement, Seigfried insists that they know Vikings existed for it is a historical fact and they have evidence from archaeology, DNA, eyewitness accounts, law codes and chronicles. He then stated that Thor exists in the same way that the god of any people exists.

Seigfried also went on to deny Yusry’s claims of his criticism towards KRU was because the director is a Muslim by saying that he believes with his entire heart that all religions should be respected equally and feels  very sorry that Yusry does not feel the same way about respecting religions of others. Seigfried further criticised Yusry for doubting his credibility as an expert mythology and invited Yusry to Chicago to sit in one of his classes.


Meeting The Merry “La Traviata”

For the first time, we encountered opera in Malaysia – in English! Intrigued, we knew we had to speak to the main people behind La Traviata, presented by our very own Gardner & Wife Theatre.

Thankfully, we were given the opportunity (of a lifetime, we must say) to pick Claire Egan’s (who plays Violetta) and Joe Morgan’s (who plays Alfredo) brains on what makes La Traviata unique and their little tricks of the trade i.e. pre-show warm ups.

Hi! How are you liking Malaysia so far? Have you managed to see much of our sunny city?

JM: “I think Malaysia is a fantastic country, I have been so impressed with the beauty of the scenery and the friendliness of the people. I haven’t even left yet and already I’m trying to work out ways that I can come back again.”

CE: “It is very beautiful, we have seen a little but of KL and Penang. We are all enjoying the wonderful weather, the beach, cuisine and friendly people.”

Did Malaysia turn out to be just the way you imagined it to be? What were you looking forward to most prior to coming here?

JM: “I was most looking forward to tasting the Malaysian cuisine and I must say it has live up to expectations, in fact it is even more fantastic than I was expecting!”

CE: “I did not know very much about Malaysia before I came, but it has already exceeded my expectations. The thing I was most looking forward to was being in a warm country as it was only six degrees when we left London!”

We’ve been hearing great things about La Traviata – mostly about how it’s opera but in English. Pray tell, what other elements contribute to making La Traviata different from other operas?

JM: “Our production of La Traviata adds an exciting modern twist to an old classic. The opening includes elements of burlesque that add vibrant colours to the show and create a great contrast to the darker more heart wrenching scenes that take place later in the opera.”

CE: “This is a modern setting of the opera, so although the music remains the same, the story is updated to a 2012 situation so that it will be relevant to today’s audience. It is set in a Caberet club and will bring a feeling of intimacy for the audience. This opera is a great introduction to opera for people who have not experienced it before because it has love, death, beauty and betrayal. It is both fun and sad and takes people on a real emotional journey.”

Before a show, what do you guys usually do to warm up? Do you have a specific ritual (individually) or do you guys usually do something together?

JM: “We don’t tend to have a group warm up as such, we do run some of the ensemble numbers in order to sound check but we mainly do our own personal vocal warm exercises. Personally, I like to sit down with the score just before the opera to make sure it is fresh in my mind.”

CE: “We often run through any tricky corners with our musical director but generally all have our own weird and wonderful warm up techniques. For me, I like to hum, make siren sounds, and tap some specific meridian points to get my energy flowing and connect to the breath.”

Have you ever had any crazy fan moments? And if so, describe them.

JM: “I once did an opera performance where I had to perform using a puppet. At the end of the show I was approached by an audience member who asked if he could see me little friend, after some embarrassing confusion I soon realized he was talking about the puppet!”

CE: “Haha! I had someone write a poem and send it to me but no, no real crazy fans..yet!”

What’s currently on your playlist? Are there any artistes in specific that you’re listening to?

JM: “Alongside opera I am also a huge fan of country music and soul music so I currently have Tower of Power and Brad Paisley on my playlist. Ooh! And I also have the Magic Flute on there as I am currently learning as we hope to return to Malaysia next year to perform it to you.”

CE: “At the moment, I am learning a Mozart opera which I listen to a lot, also I love rock and folk music, so at the moment i have been listening to lots of Laura Marling, First Aid Kit, Muse, and Mumford and Sons.”

Last one for the road – is there anything that you’d like to say to your Malaysian fans/Hype Malaysia readers?

JM: “Come along to the show, you’ll have an amazing time and you’ll leave on a high!”

CE: “Come and see the show! Especially if you’ve never been to an opera, we can promise a fun night out!”

Well, you heard them! Time to get those tickets to catch La Traviata live at PJ Live Arts.

Date: 27th November (Tuesday) till 9th December (Sunday)

To purchase tickets online, click! Otherwise, call +6017-2BUY-TIX (+6017-2-289-849). Online packages are also available at Gardner & Wife Theatre’s website.

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#PiratesOfTheCaribbean5: Orlando Bloom Confirmed To Reprise His Role

Disney is full of magical surprises indeed.

During this year’s D23 Expo, the studio officially announced that Orlando Bloom will return to the 5th “Pirates of the Caribbean” film to reprise his role as the charming blacksmith apprentice-turned-pirate, Will Turner.

Bloom portrayed Will Turner in the first 3 “Pirates of the Caribbean” films namely “The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003), “Dead Man’s Chest” (2006), and “At World’s End (2007). In all 3 films, he starred opposite Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley, who played Captain Jack Sparrow and a governor’s daughter named Elizabeth Swann respectively.

However, both Orlando and Keira did not reprise their respective roles in the 4th film. At that time, both actors expressed their desires to be involved in different films, revealing that “the storyline involving their characters had gone as far as it could”.

Considering how popular their characters were, the chances of them popping up in future films for cameo appearances are not completely impossible.

When the studio announced Orlando’s return as Will, the crowd at the expo reportedly burst into cheers. However, The Huffington Post noted that Johnny Depp’s sudden appearance as Captain Jack Sparrow onstage might have also helped their enthusiasm.

Titled “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”, the 5th film will be directed by Norwegian duo Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg. The actors who are joining the film include Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush, Brenton Thwaites, and Kaya Scodelario.

The plot is said to be centering on Captain Jack Sparrow, who finds himself in a mess as his old nemesis Captain Salazar is out to kill every pirate at sea – him included.

His only hope is finding the legendary Trident of Poseidon that will give its bearer total control over the seas.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will set sail July 7, 2017 #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/oe3ztAolXX

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) August 15, 2015

As confirmed by Walt Disney Studios, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” is scheduled for release on 7th July 2017, a month after the release of Pixar’s “Toy Story 4“.