#KPop: E! Asia To Air “2PM Wild Beat” Travel Reality Series Same Day As Korea

E! – the pop culture powerhouse of NBCUniversal International Networks – announced the premiere of “2PM Wild Beat”, a highly anticipated new series featuring one of the hottest K-Pop acts in the world, 2PM.

The 10-episode x 45-minute Korean travel reality series is produced by JYP Pictures for IHQ’s K-Star channel in Korea.

E! will air the series with local language subtitles – Same Day as Korea – on 1st February through its on-demand service, E! Zone. The series will also air with subtitles on the E! Asia feed on 3rd February.

“2PM Wild Beat” gives fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look as idol superstars Jun.K, Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung venture to Australia to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut.

The cameras follow K-Pop idol boy group as they tour around the amazing sights of Australia. Each episode features the band discovering a different destination as they travel the country – from the stunning beauty of Uluru to the bustling laneways of Melbourne and maybe some of the local wildlife, too!

“2PM Wild Beat” premieres on Friday, 3rd February 2017 at 10pm express from Korea. It will also be made on demand from Wednesday, 1st February same day as Korea.


[Photos] Here’s What You Missed At Armin Van Buuren’s Breathtaking Show At KL Live

In case you missed it, the King of Trance, Armin Van Buuren blew the roof off KL Live Centre last Friday with a stellar show.

Local acts Mister Ariffin and Lissa Qash served as his opening acts, and they did a good job pumping up the crowd with their upbeat mix of tracks while waiting for the main man. When Armin finally came on precisely at 11.30pm, he proved he was well worth the wait, immediately sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Before commencing his show, Armin promised everyone that Friday the 15th will be a day we’d never forget – and he kept his words. He took everyone at KL Live through an extraordinary trance experience as he played his signature tracks and mixes throughout his 2-hour set.

Armin’s fans were in for a real treat as they were served with familiar tracks like ‘In And Out Of Love’, ‘Great Spirit’, ‘Heading Up High’, ‘I Need You’, and the crowd favourite – ‘Vini Vici’. Armin also paid an emotional tribute to Linkin Park with ‘In The End’, which sent the crowd into euphoria.

At one point, the fans freaked out when the screen went blank and Armin turned around to wave his hands angrily. It turned out to be a prank – Armin fooled the crowd in order to set up for his next track, ‘This Is A Test’.

Aside from gratifying fans with an insanely incredible show, Armin should also be given props for actively engaging with the crowd, constantly interacting with them while sporting a big smile on his face. When it was time to say goodbye, he walked out of the DJ deck with a Malaysian flag wrapped around his shoulders to thank everyone for coming.

It was truly an unforgettable night, and Armin proved why he’s the best DJ in the game as he left everyone on a high.

The Dutch DJ, who is also a record producer and remixer, was presented by The LiveScape group and premium lifestyle brand DCODE.

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Hype’s Exclusive: Getting A Dosage Of #Superlove From Our Girl Crush, Tinashe

She may be only 23 years old, but Tinashe boasts a long history in the entertainment industry and is wise beyond her her years. Having started out at the tender age of 3, the beautiful R&B star first dipped her toes in modelling and acting before going on to study various types of dance. She then found her footing and decided to pursue a career in music full-time – it was a decision that would propel her to fame and take her around the globe.

Over the weekend, Tinashe was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as part of this year’s star-studded H-Artistry line-up. Prior to the show, we were given the opportunity to get up close and personal with her.

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Hey Tinashe! Welcome to Malaysia. Is it too premature to ask you how’s your trip treating you so far?

No, so far it has been great! I still need to like, eat some Malaysian cuisine and see some more of the city. As far as the nightlife goes I only saw the mall. It’s fun so far, the people have been great, and I’ve met a lot of fans already. There was a fan waiting at the airport and I got recognised at the mall, that was really cool! To be this far away from home and to have that kind of response, it means a lot to me.

You actually started working in the entertainment at a very young age. How do you think that exposure has shaped you as a person?

I think it has made me ultra focused because it has been such a long time goal for me and it’s such a long term process to get to where I am now. I’ve been in entertainment for as long as I can remember and pretty much wanted the same things forever so yeah it’s almost like an obsession at this point. You know, like, it is my life.

And you just released your 2nd artiste album, “Joyride”, last month. Congratulations! What can you tell us about the process of making the album?

Thanks! I’m very excited about it. It’s really just like a snapshot of where I am in my life, going through a lot of new things and experiencing a lot of ups and downs. So..it’s really the concept behind “Joyride”.

You’ve also toured quite a bit for “Aquarius” as well as “Joyride”. And now Malaysia! Best parts about touring?

Yayyy. I think every time that you’re able to get in front of a new audience, people who have never seen you before, it’s always really really exciting. Especially because I have supporters and fans here, I’d love to be able to connect with them. That’s always really amazing. And then it’s also exciting to be able to make new fans and introduce my music to the people who aren’t familiar with my music.

You seem to always be in great shape for your music videos. What’s your diet and workout schedule like? Or are you one of those who don’t even need to work out?

(laughs) No, I think there’s something to be said for – genes. But I definitely am very active. You know, I do so much dancing. And I’ve done a lot of cardio, I’ve done pilates, but yeah..as far as my diet goes, my diet is very bad. My favourite food is french fries!

Having been in the limelight a lot growing up, what do you think were some of the greatest/wildest misconceptions about you?

I mean, I’ve heard some blatant lies, just like crazy rumours. Which is always weird. When people just make stuff up out of seemingly thin air, that’s just an extremely bizarre thing to happen to anyone. I think also probably that I’m not the creative force behind my music. When you’re a young woman, it’s easy for people to go, “Oh, you’re just a cute girl. You’re just a pretty face.” It’s easy for people to delegitimise you and so for me, it has been hard to..or it has been a process to gain that sort of level of respect amongst my peers. One of the other biggest misconceptions is that I’m one thing or another because I don’t identify with a particular genre of music or a particular one thing. I like to live in a gray area between worlds, I like to experiment with different things. I feel like that’s human nature – we have so many different sides to us. I like to have that as an artiste too..be multifaceted.

I think that’s nice because you’re not just catering to a niche crowd. You’re doing a lot of things, I mean, you’re young. Just do it all, right?

Yeah, yeah! Right! That’s much more fulfilling to me as an artiste, to be able to have..yeah, like, different moves. Sometimes I feel more like this, or sometimes I feel more like that. Sometimes it’s more vibe-y and like, laid back and chill. Sometimes I wanna be energised, I want everyone on their feet and dancing. So to be able to not do just one thing or another, I think, is important to me. Really important.

Tell us what Tinashe is like on a good day – no touring, no recording, no interviews, no dancing, no appearances.

I spend a lot of time with my family. I live at home still so I’m very family-oriented. I spend a lot of time with my brothers and my parents. I think that’s really important and it’s a huge part of my life so when I’m not working, I’m pretty much always with them. Or..I’m still working! (laughs) Even when I’m on an off day, I’m still thinking about it because I can’t turn it off. This encompasses my whole life so I’m always thinking about it.

Last one for the road! Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?

Whoaaaaa! That’s a great question. I love that! I think 100 duck-sized horses because I’d just kick them. (laughs) I don’t know what I’d do with a giant horse-sized duck. I might freak out. That would be so weird! I like that question. That’s a good one.

Special thanks to our friends from Milk PR, Sony Music Malaysia, and H-Artistry for making this interview happen :)

Check out some fun facts about this year’s event here. For more information on H-Artistry 2016, visit www.h-artistry.com.my.

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#Dara: 2NE1’s Sandara Park Will Be In Kuala Lumpur This Month

Calling all Malaysian Blackjacks, 2NE1’s Sandara Park, also known by her stage name Dara (다라), will be coming to town next week!

The 31-year-old K-Pop singer will be attending the launch of Korean cosmetic brand by YG entertainment, Moonshot, held at Sephora Mid Valley. In a bid to increase and consolidate their appeal as a global makeup brand, Moonshot recently appointed Dara and BIGBANG’s G-Dragon as brand ambassadors.

A representative of Moonshot explained that both K-Pop entertainers were selected as the new main models for their star power and unique individuality that is in line with the K-beauty brand’s “bold, electric and fun” theme. And it doesn’t hurt that these celebs have legions dedicated female fans globally.

The details to the Sephora launch event are as follows:

There will also be a meet and greet session during the Sephora launch at Mid Valley, but unfortunately it’s only exclusive to Sephora’s Black Card members.

For more information, do check out Sephora Malaysia’s Facebook and Instagram.


#ParkBoGum: IME Asia Releases Details & Ticket Prices For Malaysian Fan Meeting

We previously reported that actor Park Bo Gum will be embarking on an Asia Tour, and has chosen Malaysia as one of the locations.

IME Asia has confirmed the news, and has released event and ticketing details for “Park Bo Gum Asia Tour In Kuala Lumpur”, which will be held on our shores this coming December.

As overseas fans rarely have the chance to see the heartthrob in the flesh, the fan meeting will be made up of various programs so that the “Love In The Moonlight” actor will be able to interact freely with them.

Aside from Malaysia, the actor will also visit Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, and China. A special fan meeting will then be held in South Korea to conclude his tour.

Details of the Malaysia leg are as follows:

All VIP ticket holders will have a chance to win autographed posters and to be in the same photo with Park Bo Gum. However, only 50 posters and 10 group photo-ops (20 pax per group photo) will be up for grabs, and it will be based on a lucky draw. All ticket holders will also receive a Park Bo Gum poster at the Goodbye Session.

For more info and updates on the event, remember to check out IME Asia’s Facebook page!


UK Singer-Actor Ash Stymest Signs To Malaysian Management Company

English actor-model, and now singer Ash Stymest is now part of Malaysian talent management company, Rocketfuel Entertainment who will be handling his music career in the Asian region.

The 27-year-old talent has recently signed a global deal with Interscope Records North America (Eminem, BLACKPINK, Selena Gomez, etc) and Universal International with his first EP set to be released in the coming months.

Stymest revealed that he was introduced to Rocketfuel via his good friend-cum-manager Dan who works with the Malaysian talent management company.

“Dan was the one who hooked me up with Rocketfuel. He’s my best friend, I have faith in him and trust him with my life,” Stymest told Hype Malaysia when met recently at Publika.

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“Since I’ve been here, I met everyone at Rocketfuel and they’re all incredible. They really believe in my music which is amazing and I think that I’m a really good fit here,” he added.

Though Stymest just started singing last year, he is no stranger to music. The model-turned-singer started playing music since he was 12 and he used to be part of several rock bands like Bones and The Mannequins where he played the drums.

He also started to write music for other artists and eventually decided to sing the tunes himself. “We took it to the record labels, have some meetings, and the next thing you know, we’re here!”

The Los Angeles-based artist also revealed that he will be working with Malaysian up and coming rapper Lil J and Thai hip-hop artist Dandee on a brand new single which will be included in his upcoming EP.

“We’re currently working to get my singles and visuals ready, and hopefully we’ll get to release the music simultaneously in Malaysia and the states,” Stymest commented.

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#IggyIggs: Iggy Azalea Sings & Reveals Wedding Plans In “Carpool Karaoke”

Remember James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke” segment? Well, it’s time for another installment and this time, Iggy Azalea aka Iggy Iggs joined in on the fun!

James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke” segment can make even the most obnoxious celebrities seem likable. For example, that one time when he had Justin Bieber as a special guest and they had a heartfelt singalong to Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road”, mind blowing! It goes without saying that we were pleasantly surprised to discover that he recently got Iggy Iggs in on karaoke-ing with him.

The newly engaged singer charmed us with her perfect rendition of her hit song, “Fancy”, as well as some of her other chart-topping tracks including “Pretty Girls”. After which, both James and Iggy discussed some wedding planning and even swung by a bridal shop to try on wedding dresses ahead of Iggy’s nuptials. Aww, too cute :)

For more information, hit up “The Late Late Show with James Corden” here.


#SupperClub: Best 24-Hour Cafes/Eateries In Klang Valley

Sure, Malaysians (especially the KL city slickers) have got their favourite post-clubbing-eat haunts. But what if you’re not into the whole clubbing scene, yet you want to have your cake and eat it too? Yes, we’re talking about eating in every sense! Hence, we’ve decided to draw up a list of the best 24-hour cafes and eateries in Klang Valley for late night owls like yourselves. And just in case you’re wondering, no, we’re not going to be talking about “mamaks” alone because surely there’s more varieties of food out there than just “Maggi mee goreng”, right?

Finally, Donutes has reached our shores! Originally a leading Taiwanese bakery-cum-cafe chain, Donutes offers a variety of coffee, cakes, and other desserts late int the night. That’s right! Don’t let their name fool you because their selection of yummylicious baked goods include delectable bread in which has clearly been influenced by and infused with Japanese flavours. And cute cakes, let’s not forget cute cakes. Also, unlike your typical buy-and-go bakeries, Donutes come furnished with comfy chairs and tables for its patrons to sit back, relax, enjoy their drinks and food, and perhaps chat for a little while. Or chat for much longer, we’ll leave that up to you ;)

Locations: 1, Jln Pju 5/13 Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor & No. 8, Jalan Kenari 6, Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47100 Puchong, Selangor

Sri Steven’s Corner, otherwise better known as Steven’s Corner, has been around for so long that it comes as no surprise that the owners can afford to open a second branch! Not only does the eatery serve up some of the best local delicacies, meals at Steven’s Corner usually comes with mystifyingly low bills too. They’re most famous for a variety of sellable noms such as the “Burung Puyuh”, Nasi Lemak Special, Tosai Tisu, Chicken Chop, and Roti Bakar, on top of other staples on their menu. Don’t be shocked to find additional new dishes on their menu every once in awhile too! Who would’ve thought that they could come so far from being just a little roadside mamak stall decades ago, eh? ;)

Location: 37, Jalan Pandan Indah 1/22, Pandan Indah, 56100 Kuala Lumpur & 18 & 18A, Jalan Hujan Rahmat Dua, OUG, Jalan Kelang Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, 58200

What’s that? You’re looking for a 24-hours cafe/eatery in the heart of the city? You’ve got it! Pat Kin Pat Sun Cafe is an Hong Kong-themed eatery that offers a very extensive menu of western and local grub as well as Hong Kong-style food. So you can expect everything from dumplings, dim sum, egg tarts, and fried rice to sandwiches, burgers, and steaks! Of course, there’s also the Malaysian fare of dishes such as the Loh Shi Fun, Claypot Curry Fish Head, and sizzling red wine chicken with grilled prawns. Yes, even if it’s late into the night. Oh, we also must add that we love its vibrant and cheerful interior – and you will too!

Location: Lot 1.0.3-1.0.5, Ground Floor, Pearl International Hotel, Batu 5, Jalan Klang Lama, 58000 KL

This restaurant at Centrepoint has come a long an far way, since the pre-renovation and pre-Centrepoint-new-wing days. Years ago, The Banana Leaf Restaurant was located at what used to be an end lot, closer to Starbucks. But it has since moved, complete with a makeover! Now located at a new corner lot opposite the school on the other side of Centrepoint, the new restaurant is swankier, cleaner, and has a new menu to offer. However, we still aim for our all-time favourites each time we’re there such as their crazily-delicious-it-has-to-be-illegal Roti Bom and Garlic Naan. All that washed down with a Teh O Ais Limau, of course. Because hey, they might’ve upgraded, but the all-time favourites are still just as good!

Location: Centrepoint Bandar Utama (G27), 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Kelantan-style food around-the-clock, anyone? Because we know a place, oh yes we do! At Hayaki, its owners aim to bring the best of Kelantan cuisine to Malaysians. The eatery, originating from Kelantan (of course), operates 3 other branches in Kota Bahru and 4 outlets in Klang Valley. But we chose to feature the one in Uptown, Damansara Utama. If you’re planning to visit, don’t go without trying their Kelantan-style Ayam Percik with Nasi Kerabu because it’s pretty good! There are also other Kelantanese signature dishes like the Nasi Dagang and Nasi Ulam, and if you want to be daring, order their Nasi Kukus Hayaki, Enjoy it at your own time at their brightly lit open concept restaurant because you can ;) Also, they have free WiFi. Just putting it out there.

Location: 1, Jalan SS21/37, Uptown Damansara Utama, 4700 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

We can’t go without talking about Murni, one of the only 24-hour restaurant in town that serves up a fusion of custom-made food ranging from Indian, Malay, Chinese, Western, and Italian cuisines! Known to be quite the food innovators, Murni is not your average mamak because of its stupendously delicious offerings in food portions that’s enough to share between 2 or more. What’s that? You’re craving for a good pasta carbonara at 3am? You need to quench your thirst with a large Ribena Longan? Feeling peckish and wanting a bite of the Triple H? Look no further than Murni! Heck, you can even bring your whole family along if they’re still awake at ungodly hours. Just make sure that you go with empty stomachs to accommodate their crazy menu here.

Location: 53, Jalan SS 2/75, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Know of any other awesome 24-hours cafes or eateries in Klang Valley and would like us to talk about it? Leave us a comment in the comments box below and we’ll see to it!

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Thoreal: Let’s Welcome Thor Into The Disney Princess Gang

The internet was recently set ablaze over a new image from “Ralph Breaks The Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2”. it featured almost all of our favourite Disney Princesses together.

However, netizens are making an argument that one blonde Avengers should be invited to join the female group. It’s time to include Chris Hemsworth’s Thor in the Disney Princesses list y’all.

So what traits qualify a character to become “Disney Princess”? It helps if your movies were box office hits. “Thor”, “Thor: The Dark World”, and “Thor: Ragnarok”, made US$449.3 million, US$644.6 million, and US$854 million worldwide respectively. The Asgardian is also an Odinson, so he’s of royalty.

Having said that, we’ll leave the questions to the actual Disney Princess. To quote them, one has to have magic hair, magic hands, the ability to talk to animals, experience of being poison, kidnapped, and enslaved.

Oh, and one more thing – “Do people assume all your problems got solved because a big strong man showed up?” That is also a big resounding yes!

One fan commented that “Avengers: Infinity War” already told us the God of Thunder was really Princess Thor, aka Thoreal.

Thor shouldn’t be denied his place with the other Disney Princesses, no?


A Tribute to Nirvana by Twilight Actiongirl

For more information, visit their event page on Facebook.


#DynamicDuo: 8 Most Memorable Director-Actor Pairings Of Recent Years

Film directors are imaginative story tellers. In order to bring their stories to the big screen, they control a film’s artistic and dramatic aspects.

They give direction to the cast and crew in the fulfillment of their visions, but they must communicate with each other effectively too.

It’s easy to understand why the collaboration between directors and actors is often challenging.

More often than not, both parties are trying to lead while trying to make their collaboration work. It’s proven from time to time that no collaboration would be successful if there is no chemistry between directors and actors. After all, actors are the ones who would bring a director’s work to life. This is why certain directors would choose to work with a similar cast and crew in all the other films.

As such, we’ve compiled a list of director-actor pairings that are deemed most successful and memorable in recent years. There were a lot to choose from and thus, we only featured our favourites and the most fruitful pairings of directors and actors in cinematic history.

Take a look at the list below (not determined by the amount of collaborations):

1. Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio

Amount of collaborations: 5 (excluding 2005 short film “The Audition”)

After a decades-long collaboration with Robert De Niro, renowned filmmaker Martin Scorsese began collaborating with Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio through “Gangs of New York”, a 2002 American fictionalised historical drama that was nominated for numerous prestigious awards, including the Academy Award for “Best Picture”.

Unlike his partnership with De Niro, DiCaprio was the one who went after Scorsese.

What happened after their first collaboration:

“Gangs of New York” clearly put both men on the map as they’d later find themselves reuniting for several other films including 2004’s “The Aviator”, 2006’s “The Departed”, 2010’s “Shutter Island”, and 2013’s “The Wolf of Wall Street”.

You should say they’re one of the strongest cinematic powerhouse in Hollywood today because of their mutual fondness for crime drama films.

In August 2015, Variety reported that Scorsese will work with DiCaprio again through the upcoming film adaptation of Erik Larson’s “The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America”.

Director Ridley Scott first started working with Kiwi-turned-Aussie actor Russell Crowe through 2000’s “Gladiator”.

Not only did the film propel Crowe to international fame, it also earned him an Academy Award for “Best Actor”, a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for “Best Actor”, an Empire Award for “Best Actor”, and a London Film Critics Circle Award for “Best Actor”.

After the massive success of “Gladiator”, expectations ran high for all the movies they have made together.

While their 2nd film “A Good Year” (which is a rom-com, by the way) failed to make a big impact at the box office, they continued to work together through 2007’s “American Gangster”, 2008’s “Body of Lies”, and 2010’s “Robin Hood”.

To date, they’ve collaborated 5 times and the successful collaborative team nearly fell apart during the development process of “Robin Hood”. Speaking with The Telegraph UK about their partnership, Scott said, “Russell and I are very similar.”

He’s angry all the time and I’m angry all the time as well. We don’t mean to be irritable but we don’t suffer fools gladly.

Cate Blanchett, who witnessed their relationship on “Robin Hood”, also said, “They absolutely adore one another. They wrestle one another and sometimes one wins and the other will say, ‘I’ll win next time.’ We’re calling it the Dr. Claw rapport.”

It all began with 2005’s “Batman Begins”, a darker and grittier superhero film based on fictional DC Comics character Batman.

Co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the movie starred Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, the trusted butler to Batman/Bruce Wayne’s parents and a legal guardian to Bruce. Caine created his own backstory for Alfred, portraying him as a former member of the British Special Air Service.

Caine continued to portray the iconic butler to Bruce Wayne in the sequels of “Batman Begins”, namely “The Dark Knight” (2008) and “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012). They’ve also worked together on 2006’s “The Prestige”, 2010’s “Inception”, and 2014’s “Interstellar”.

Having appeared in all of Nolan’s movies after “Batman Begins”, he is regarded by Nolan to be his “good luck charm”. The actor himself also described Nolan as “one of cinema’s greatest directors” and compared him favourably with the likes of David Lean, John Huston, and Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

Of course, Nolan is not limited to working only with Caine. Christian Bale, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Cillian Murphy have also been his frequent collaborators.

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp first started working together through 1990’s “Edward Scissorhands”.

Unaware of Depp’s teen idol status and his then-popular performance in “21 Jump Street” TV Series, Burton had always wanted Depp for the role of Edward. When Depp was sent the script, he was described to have “wept like a newborn” as he found personal and emotional connections with the story.

The duo became almost inseparable since working together on “Edward Scissorhands”. The film, which was met with both commercial and critical success, even became one of Depp’s most iconic movies.

Both of them collaborated again through 1994’s “Ed Wood”, a comedy-biopic that was also met with overwhelming critical success. They continued their partnership through 1999’s “Sleepy Hollow”, 2005’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Corpse Bride”, 2007’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”, 2010’s “Alice in Wonderland“, and 2012’s “Dark Shadows“.

It’s clear that they’d make cinematic magic every time they work together because of their mutual fondness of spooky elements and dark humour.

“Rushmore”, which launched the careers of director Wes Anderson and actor Jason Schwartzman, marks legendary comedian Bill Murray‘s first collaboration with the director.

The 1998 comedy-drama film also established a “second career” for Murray as a respected actor of independent cinema.

Anderson and Murray are like the brighter and cheerful versions of Burton and Depp, but both director-actor pairings are eccentric in their own ways. It’s easy to understand why this director-actor team work so well together because they share a similar sense of deadpan humour.

Although Murray only played a supporting character in “Rushmore”, he continued to star in Anderson’s subsequent feature films, including 2001’s “The Royal Tenenbaums”, 2004’s “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”, 2007’s “The Darjeeling Limited”, 2009’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (voice role), 2012’s “Moonrise Kingdom”, 2014’s upcoming “The Grand Budapest Hotel”.

Anderson also works regularly with comedian Owen Wilson, who almost ties with Murray with 6 roles.

6. Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson

Uma Thurman and “Big Eyes” star Christoph Waltz may be Quentin Tarantino‘s most frequent muses, but Samuel L. Jackson is the perfect embodiment of Tarantino’s work.

Tarantino’s 1992 neo-noir crime thriller “Reservoir Dogs” would have actually marked their first time working together, but after someone in the casting mistook Jackson as “Mr. Fishburne”, the actor got so pissed off and screwed up his audition.

However, it was also the rage that he showed during the audition that led him to the role in Tarantino’s 1994 cult classic, “Pulp Fiction”.

After the massive success of “Pulp Fiction”, Jackson starred in nearly every movie Tarantino has made, including 1997’s “Jackie Brown”, 2004’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 2”, 2009’s “Inglourious Basterds”, and 2012’s “Django Unchained”.

With their near-perfect collaboration streak, their partnership is as timeless as the relationship between an old married couple. It’s safe to say that they are the biggest, coolest, and “baddest” mofo in Hollywood.

Tarantino’s upcoming film “The Hateful Eight” will mark a continuation of his long-standing collaboration with Jackson.

David Fincher made his feature directorial debut through the 3rd instalment of Ridley Scott’s “Alien” franchise. Unfortunately, the movie was not very well-received by fans and critics.

Little did he know, he’d rise to international fame through his next feature film, “Seven”, in 1995. The film also marked his first time working with Hollywood A-lister Brad Pitt.

In the past 2 decades, Fincher and Pitt have only collaborated for 3 films. However, they were all extremely memorable, giving us high quality cinematic experiences.

All of their films were not only met with both commercial and critical success, but also turned Fincher into renowned director in Hollywood. Fincher’s “Fight Club”, which was released in 1999, is considered one of the most iconic movies of all time. It also highlighted Pitt’s acting chops, which were often underestimated by critics.

They later came along with “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (2008), where Pitt plays a man who ages in reverse. The film received 13 Academy Award nominations and won 3 for “Best Art Direction”, “Best Makeup”, and “Best Visual Effects”.

Amount of collaborations: 4 (excluding the 2 mini-series that they co-produced)

Steven Spielberg is considered as one of the most influential directors as well as the founding pioneers of the new Hollywood era. However, he did not launch his successful directing career by working with Tom Hanks.

It was not only until the 90s when he started working with Hanks, who would also appear in his subsequent critically-acclaimed feature films including 2002’s “Catch Me If You Can” and 2004’s “The Terminal”.

Excluding the 2 miniseries that they have co-produced, the pair have collaborated on 4 features so far.

“Saving Private Ryan” received universal critical acclaim and won several awards for film, cast, and crew. It also earned significant returns at the box office. Hanks later starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in “Catch Me If You Can”, an American biographical crime drama film based on the life of famous con artist Frank Abagnale. It was a financial and critical success and the real Abagnale even reacted positively to it

“The Terminal” received mixed reviews from critics despite performing relatively well at the box office. Their latest collaborative effort is “Bridge of Spies“, which was recently released this month.

Now, we’re pretty sure that we’ve left out a few amazing director-actor pairings. Do you have a personal favourite that you’d like us to add to the above list?

Share with us in the comments box below!

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Contest: Win A Copy Of Jumero’s Debut Album #SteppingStones

Jumero’s dancing with the stars. Are you?

Jared, Micheal and Ryan, known together as indie pop trio Jumero will be launching their debut album, “Stepping Stones” as part of Guinness: Amplify – Curates Jumero this August.

Known for their laid-back vibe, Jumero is also recognised for their originality and have always managed to get people dancing and singing along to their songs during live gigs.

Comprising of 7 tracks including “Fantasy Killer” and “Free“, Jumero’s debut album “Stepping Stones” is inspired by the band’s mission to find themselves as individuals and to achieve their dreams without letting life and reality get the better of them.

Now, as part of celebrating Jumero’s launch under the “Guinness: Amplify – Curates” brand, our friends from Guinness has provided us 5 copies of “Stepping Stones” to be given away to our readers— yes, you guys!

All you gotta do to win yourself a copy is answer the following questions:

E-mail your answers with your details (Name, IC, Contact number) to submit@hype.my and if you’re the winner, we’ll contact you via e-mail after the submissions have closed.


Interwebs Go Ape Sh*t Over Monkey #Selfie

We definitely thought we’ve seen it all until we realised that we’ve been horribly misinformed about the kind of strange findings one can stumble upon! So much so that it sounds a lot like a random hoax on the interwebs.

In 2011, UK-based wildlife photographer David Slater was in a national park in Indonesia when a couple of macaques snatched his camera and started taking pictures of themselves. One of them, a selfie by a female macaque, went viral. So much so that Wikimedia Commons picked up on it and published it on their site:

Not only was it published, as seen in the screenshot above, it was also made available for download in various resolutions and sizes. Royalty-free, by the way.

As such, a copyright battle ensued between David Slater and Wikimedia Foundation. David is threatening to sue the not-for-profit foundation for lost earnings of up to USD30,000 because according to him, he’s the true owner the photo and therefore it’s copyrighted to him. However, Wikimedia has promptly refused to take it down because the monkey (??) owns the copyright on the disputed photo.

And in a strange twist of events, the current US Copyright Office policy states that animals can’t own copyrights. According to Copyright Compendium § 202.02(b):

The term ‘authorship’ implies that, for a work to be copyrightable, it must owe its origin to a human being. Materials produced solely by nature, by plants, or by animals are not copyrightable.

Hence, Wikimedia spokesperson Katherine Maher told AFP, “Under US laws, the copyright cannot be own by a non-human. It doesn’t belong to the monkey, but it doesn’t belong to the photographer either.”

David argues that Wikimedia’s defence is based on a technicality and that there is “a lot more to copyright than who pushes the trigger on the camera”. “I own the photo but because the monkey pressed the trigger and took the photo, they’re claiming that the monkey owns the copyright,” he said.

Our take out from all of this? We knew that monkeys were intelligent, considering the fact that they’re our closest relatives. But this monkey selfie story, lawsuit and copyright issues aside, completely blew our minds.

Meanwhile, here are some of the best memes that were generated from when the monkey selfie originally went viral:

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Tony Yu Jingtian Withdraws From “Youth With You 3” Following Recent Scandal

Frontrunner Tony Yu Jingtian (余景天) has officially bowed out of “Youth With You 3” (青春有你3). Many fans are saddened since the finale was supposed to take place this Saturday (8th May).

Over a week ago, a petition for Tony to withdraw from the competition trended at #1 on Weibo after his nationality came into question. There were rumours going around that the 18-year-old’s parents were involved in illegal businesses.

According to various sources, Tony’s parents had reportedly operated a KTV business selling drugs and also offered sexual services. On 30th April, Tony’s mom clarified in a post that she and her husband had already sold the business in 2008. His father has since filed a lawsuit following the viral rumours.

To make matters worse, Tony’s nationality also became a hot topic of conversation. Apparently, Tony and his family immigrated to Canada in 2008 with some claiming that he had dual citizenship both in Canada and China. This issue has angered many netizens, who insist the popular contestant had violated the law.

Yesterday (Tuesday, 4th May), the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Radio and Television issued a statement announcing that “Youth With You 3” has been suspended from future recordings due to the recent drama. A meeting between them and the iQiyi management had already taken place, where the latter was asked to adhere to the guidelines set by the state’s radio and television bureau.

#Trending! Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau has directed iQIYI to temporarily halt filming on #YouthWithYou3, demanding strict compliance with broadcast regulations. iQIYI has since issued an apology, stating that they will work to inspect/correct existing issues. pic.twitter.com/O4ZCZJIKEV

— Trending Weibo (@TrendingWeibo) May 5, 2021

Earlier today (Wednesday, 5th May), “Youth With You 3” shed light on the show’s current suspension. The show will accept the ruling and implement the regulations and policies that have been set by the bureau. “Youth With You 3” has temporarily stopped recording to allow iQiyi to identify and amend the show’s existing issues at hand.

A few minutes later, Tony’s management AstroMusic also issued a statement informing fans that their artist had officially stepped down from the competition. This is “due to the recent incidents and his personal health, rendering him unable to continue with his current work“. Fans have since taken to social media to vent their frustration at this situation.

We have cried, laughed, sad, and happy together! You ask me if I regret falling in love with him? If i am giving you a chance, will you still love him? I can only say that you give me another chance, I still chose to love him, I love him, and I will love him too, sooner or later pic.twitter.com/wY7754sfjf

— Tony Yu Updates (@TonyYuUpdates) May 4, 2021

I still can't accept this, but seeing fansite vids from earlier, Tony( YuJingTian) leaving Dachang, lemme just cry for now😭 He deserves more than this 💔#underthesamebluesky #YuJingTian #TonyYu #Tony #yjt #余景天 #托尼 #토니유 #토니 #อวี๋จิ่งเทียน #YouthWithYou3 #青春有你3 pic.twitter.com/531lEpQxSK

— Teume~L 🆔 | Struggling ENGI Student😵👷♀ (@LuHanbinDam12_7) May 4, 2021

This show was end for me. It unfair for Tony, RIP anti-fan hate never make anything good All of them work hard and did theirs best in every stage, hater destroy their dreams 😭 #YuJingTian #YouthWithYou3 #SupportYuJingtian ไม่มีอีกแล้ว #พี่โจวน้องโท 😭 pic.twitter.com/QTcZyQ7RFN

— One & Only 💙 𝒀𝒖𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒈𝑻𝒊𝒂𝒏 (@Lovely_Pang) May 4, 2021

The fans' cheers 😭😭😭I hope he knows that pink lions will nvr leave

but they shld srsly give them some space, they look so tired :(

© 嘿溜圆儿#Tony #TonyYu #YuJingTian #托尼 #余景天 #토니 #YouthWithYou3 #YouthWithYou3iQiyi #青春有你3 #YWY3 #QCYN3 pic.twitter.com/uX0EuVp5G0

— yù | for tony 余景天🦁 (@_yujingtian) May 3, 2021

Tony leaves Dachang in the night … He bowed to the fans in the end😭😭 it’s really finish now … #余景天 #TonyYu #YuJingTian #อวี๋จิ่งเทียน #토니 #青春有你3  #QCYN3 #YouthWithYou3 #UnderTheSameBlueSky pic.twitter.com/e8Mrlqj3AI

No word yet if the finale will proceed as planned.

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#MalindoAir: Daily Flights To Ho Chi Minh City To Commence On 29th January 2016

Malindo Air is certainly on a roll this year, announcing a handful of new routes interesting enough to pique avid Malaysian travellers’ interest. Ours, including!

Back in 2015, word on the street was that Malindo Air was proposing a Kuala Lumpur – Ho Chi Minh service which was supposed to have started sometime in mid December 2015. Malindo Air also teased the new and exciting destination via their official Facebook page last month:

We know for sure now that it’s definitely happening albeit a little later than expected because Malindo Air has announced that all bookings are now open for their Kuala Lumpur – Ho Chi Minh – Kuala Lumpur route!

The daily services to Ho Chi Minh will start on 29th January 2016. Malindo Air’s Vietnam route will mark the airline’s 10th country in its expanding international network.

Promotional fares for the new route are as follows:

As seen in the screenshot above, the current economy class fare will set you back about RM600.

The narrow-body Boeing 737-800 aircraft with a seat capacity of 162, with 12 Business Class and 150 Economy Class seats, will be deployed on the new route. The flight time between Kuala Lumpur – Ho Chi Minh city will take 1 hour and 55 minutes.

For bookings, visit Malindo Air’s website, use Malindo Air’s mobile site, or download the Malindo Air App on Google Play and App Store. To enquire, write in to Customer Care Centre at customer_care@malindoair.com or call +603-7841 5388 from 7am to 11pm daily.

For more timely updates, visit Malindo Air’s Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.


Baby Monsters: Get To Know The Members Of YG’s Rookie Girl Group

Did you hear? YG Entertainment’s Chinese label Shining Star Culture is currently planning to debut their new girl group called Baby Monsters (아기 괴물/宝贝怪兽, or BAEMON in short).

While there hasn’t been much details on the upcoming idol group, word has it that the all-female music ensemble will be making their official debut sometime this year.

The CEO of YG Entertainment’s YG FOODS has recently talked about the new girl group in a recent interview. pic.twitter.com/ekZTPbXsot

In a recent interview with the YouTube channel “Hotdog TV”, the CEO of YG Entertainment’s eatery chains, YG Foods, Noh Hee Young, recently gave a bit of a spoiler on what to expect from the upcoming girl group. To quote the lady herself, Baby Monster is so talented to which she claimed, “They’re no joke!”

Noh Hee Young commented, “Right now, there’s a new group after BLACKPINK called Baby Monster that’s coming. They’re no joke, they’re like 10 Jennies.” Following this, many fans have speculated that the group will have a total of 10 members. Others also pointed out that the members would be as powerful and charming as the “Solo” hit-maker.

Having said that, get to know the members of BAEMON here:

Stay tuned to this space for more updates on the upcoming girl group.

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Leaked Nudes Of Jennifer Lawrence & Kate Upton To Be Used In Upcoming Exhibit

So, Cory Allen Contemporary Art (CACA) has announced that the recently leaked nude images of Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton will be the latest additions to Los Angeles artist XVALA’s “Fear Google” campaign and will be on display to the public, unaltered, in the artist’s upcoming show “No Delete” next month at CACA’s The Showroom in Saint Petersburg, Florida.

XVALA appropriating celebrity compromised images and the overall “Fear Google” campaign has helped strengthen the ongoing debate over privacy in the digital era.The commentary behind this show is a reflection of who we are today. We all become ‘users’ and in the end, we become “used”.

The leaked images will be printed on canvas, life-sized, and unaltered. Yes, that means completely uncensored!

The exhibit will be displaying the artist’s 7-year collection of images found on Google of celebrities in their most vulnerable and private moments, that were comprised by either hackers or the paparazzi, including Britney Spears’ shaved head portrait and the leaked naked images of Scarlett Johansson throughout the streets in Los Angeles with the “Fear Google” logo covering her intimate areas.

We have no idea what Jennifer Lawrence or Kate Upton will have to say about this very public display of their leaked pictures. Isn’t this somewhat a crime if Jennifer Lawrence’s reps, especially, are hot on their heels to prosecute anyone who posts their photos? Wouldn’t that apply to this campaign/art display too?

“No Delete” is slated to open on 30th October.


“Lalisa”: 5 Things We Know About BLACKPINK Lisa’s Solo Debut

BLINKs, get excited for BLACKPINK’s dancing goddess Lisa (리사)‘s highly-anticipated solo debut this week!

Lisa will be the third member from the groundbreaking all-female group to drop her solo album, following Jennie‘s “Solo” release back in 2018 and Rosé‘s two-track EP “R” earlier in March this year.

In case you didn’t know, the upcoming record, “Lalisa” (named after the artist’s real name – Lalisa Manoban), will be released on 10th September 2021. Since the last couple of weeks, the talented performer has been “teasing” die-hard fans with a series of concept photos, short videos, posters and also visual teasers, giving them a glimpse of what the album will look and sound like.

Here’s what we know about Lisa’s impending solo debut so far:

On 5th September, a poster revealing the full track list for her first solo single album was uploaded on both Lisa and BLACKPINK’s official Instagram accounts. The album will be comprised of two tracks – the title track “Lalisa” and a B-side track called “Money”.

“Lalisa” was composed by BLACKPINK’s frequent collaborators namely 24, Bekuh Boom and Teddy, while the lyrics were written by the dynamic duo of Boom and Teddy. On the other hand, the lyrics of “Money” were penned by Boom and Vince, while the composers of the song are 24, Boom, R.Tee and Vince.

In addition, the single album will also come with instrumental versions of the two aforesaid tracks.

2. The single album surpassed 700k pre order sales in just 4 days

As revealed by the star’s home label YG Entertainment, Lisa’s upcoming solo single album “Lalisa” has surpassed 700,000 stock pre-orders earlier on 30th August, just four days since pre-order sales began on 26th August. With this feat, Lisa has officially been handed the honour as the highest pre-order record for any K-Pop female solo artist of all time!

3. “‘Lalisa’ Countdown Live” on V Live App

A post shared by BLΛƆKPIИK (@blackpinkofficial)

In conjunction with the release of her much-awaited solo debut, The Thai K-pop idol will be hosting a V Live broadcast this coming 10th September at 12pm KST (11am local time). Interestingly enough, a few lucky winners will also get the chance to have a one-on-one chat with Lisa during the live session as well!

4. Lisa will be performing her solo single for the 1st time on “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon”

Surprise! @BLACKPINK’s Lisa is coming to #FallonTonight on 9/10 to perform her first solo single #LALISA!! 🖤💗 #LISAonFallon pic.twitter.com/tZOVc0xjVY

— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) September 3, 2021

“The Tonight Show” revealed on its official social media pages earlier on 3rd September stating that Lisa will appear on the programme to showcase her stage performance of “Lalisa” for the first time on 10th September. Soon after the news broke out, many fans have taken to Twitter and started trending the hashtag #LISAonFallon to express their excitement with the upcoming performance.

5. Lisa will be hosting a comeback special show on NAVER NOW

Apart from the V Live broadcast that we mentioned earlier, Korean streaming service Naver NOW has also revealed that Lisa will be hosting her come back special show on September 14 at 8pm KST (7pm local time). And the best part is, fans will be able to enjoy the show for free with no ads! For those who are interested, check out the link here.

Sources: NME, Soompi, AllKpop (1)(2), Pink Villa. Featured image credit by @SITTlNGPRETTY.

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Now Available: All-Time Favourite Childhood Games For Your Smartphone

It’s safe to say that children of the 80s and the 90s (like ourselves) were fortunate enough to have been able to grow up during a generation cusp. We say this because these kids were fortunate enough to have experienced both a time before the technology boom and then during/after. As such, our childhoods are enriched with memories of playing “manual” games (that we still sometimes miss!) as well as the early electronic ones.

When we say “early electronic ones”, we’re talking about everything that ranges from the early default Windows OS ones to little egg-shaped gadgets (oh yes you know which one and what it’s called), to the console types with cassette-tape looking cartridges to handheld games with/without cartridges.

Some of them are of course, obsolete by now, but that doesn’t mean that the original makers of the games didn’t evolve with the times!

Yup, believe it or not, some of your all-time favourite childhood games are now available as apps for your smartphone and we’ve picked out some to share with all y’all. Since, you know, mobile apps are all rage now and will continue to be “all rage” for years to come ;)

*Disclaimer: Not all the apps are free and some of the Android ones may differ from the iOS ones. We found the ones that fit the bill the most.

Fun fact: Tamagotchi were originally designed for teenage girls, to give them an idea of what it would be like to take care of children. Admit it – even if your pet kept dying on you, it was at one point a cool accessory to own. So, you want all the cuteness of the cult Japanese egg-shaped handheld digital pet you remember back in the palm of your hand? The original Tamagotchi game dearly loved from people all around the globe can now be purchased as an app for your smartphone! Smartphone users can now say goodbye to the extra free time that they have on their hands once they’ve got the app.

And yes, it’s available for both the Android OS as well as the iOS platforms.

You remember Minesweeper, don’t you? One of the earliest games that came with the Windows OS. It’s a single-player puzzle game which requires the player to clear a rectangular board containing hidden “mines” without detonating any of them, with help from clues about the number of neighbouring mines in each field. Sometimes, you get past without “blowing” anything up, sometimes you don’t. Don’t look at us, we sole depended on luck for this game when we were younger!

The Minesweeper Classic app is available for Android or iOS smartphones.

Solitaire typically involve dealing cards from a shuffled deck into a prescribed arrangement on a tabletop, from which the player attempts to reorder the deck by suit and rank by transferring cards from one place to another under some restrictions. Some games allow for the reshuffling of the deck(s), and/or the placement of cards into new or “empty” locations. The object of the game is to build up 4 blocks of cards going from ace to king in each suit, taking cards from the layout if they appear on the table.

Solitaire is available for Android or iOS. There goes all your free time!

Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting arcade video game developed by Tomohiro Nishikado and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the US by the Midway division of Bally. The aim of the game is to defeat waves of aliens with a laser cannon to earn as many points as possible. You wanna play? ;)

Space Invader Infinity Gene (by Taito Corporation themselves!) is available for Android or iOS.

Ding ding, it’s the game of “getting really pissed at the flippers”! The one called Pinball. Back in the day, the only access one would have to the machine was via arcades or certain restaurants/pubs. Usually coin-operated, Pinball requires a player to score points by manipulating one or more steel balls on a play field inside a glass-covered cabinet. A drain is situated at the bottom of the play field, partially protected by player-controlled plastic bats called flippers. A game ends after all the balls fall into the drain.

Lo and behold, your Pinball flippers frustration may now continue via the Pinball Android or iOS app. Nope, we’re not sorry.

Pac-Man is an arcade game developed by Namco and first released in Japan in 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, it’s considered a classic and an icon of the 80s pop culture. The player controls Pac-Man through a maze, eating pac-dots (also called pellets). When all pac-dots are eaten, Pac-Man is taken to the next stage. 4 enemies (Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde) roam the maze, trying to catch Pac-Man and if an enemy touches Pac-Man, a life is lost and the Pac-Man itself withers and dies.

Wanna play? Download the Pac-Man Android or iOS app.

Because who doesn’t love Sonic, right? Sonic the Hedgehog is the title character and protagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog series released by Sega, as well as numerous spin-off comics, 5 animated shows, and an animated OVA. Sonic is a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog who has the ability to run at supersonic speeds and the ability to curl into a ball, primarily to attack enemies. Throughout the video games, he has to race through levels, collect power up rings, and survive against a host of natural obstacles and minions to achieve his goal.

Sonic The Hedgehog is available for download for Android or iOS smartphones.

For some of us, our first handheld game was a colourful blocks puzzle game called Tetris. The objective of the game is to manipulate the blocks by it sideways and rotating it by 90 degree units, with the aim of creating a horizontal line of 10 blocks without gaps. When such a line is created, it disappears, and any block above the deleted line will fall. When lines are cleared, the game enters a new level. As the game progresses, each level causes the bricks to fall faster, and the game ends when the stack of brick reaches the top of the playing field and no new bricks are able to enter.

Tetris is available for Android and iOS smartphones.

Did we leave anything out? Are there any games that you think should’ve been included in the list (provided that there’s a smartphone app for it too)? Let us know in the comments box below!

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#StarTrek3: Movie Title Confirmed; Director Justin Lin Shares First Photo

The untitled “Star Trek 3” finally has a name!

News of the 3rd instalment of the “Star Trek” franchise have been cropping up regularly, from announcing that a new director is on board to helm to introducing a new villain and mysterious role. And now, director Justin Lin himself has finally revealed the title of the new “Star Trek”.

Justin Lin (who is best known for directing 4 of the “Fast & Furious” films) sure knows how to make good use of the social media as he revealed the official title for the new “Star Trek” film via his Twitter.

Let the next Starfleet voyage begin! #StarTrekBeyond #LLAP pic.twitter.com/VZh9YvJgqA

— Justin Lin (@trailingjohnson) June 29, 2015

Also, in less than 140 characters, director Lin managed to share the franchise’s familiar Starfleet uniform, as seen in his Twitter post above. Lin then ended the tweet with a hashtag, #LLAP (Live long and prosper), just like how the late Leonard Nimoy always does.

Written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung, “Star Trek Beyond” stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin and John Cho. Idris Elba will be joining the threequel for the first time as a villain while Sofia Boutella has signed on for a mysterious role. J.J. Abrams, the former director of the last 2 films will be overseeing the production.

The film is currently in production and is slated for a release on 8th July 2016.

So, what do you think of its new title, “Star Trek Beyond”? Think you could’ve come up with something better? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments box below :)


Good Vibes Festival 2019: An Interview With South Korean R&B Sensation DEAN

Over the next two days, all eyes will be on Good Vibes Festival 2019 (#GVF2019) that features an exciting line-up that has already exceeded the public’s expectations. Among those on the list is South Korean R&B singer-songwriter DEAN (권혁).

The inclusion of DEAN marks a new stage for Good Vibes Festival, as he was among the first South Korean act to perform at the festival, along with Korean R&B artiste singer-producer Rad Museum and New York-based Korean-American singer/producer/DJ Yaeji.

Hailing from Seoul, DEAN started his career as a hip-hop artiste with Keith Ape at the age of 16. By the age of 20, he has written songs for K-pop groups such as EXO’s Black Pearl and VIXX’s Voodoo Doll.

He was also the first Asian artist to perform at Spotify House at Austin’s SXSW Festival and has worked with a few well-known artists and producers, such as Eric Bellinger, Syd, Crush, ZICO, Anderson .Paak and more.

Good Vibes Festival 2019 marks DEAN’s second visit to Malaysia. Ahead of his performance on Sunday, we spoke to the artist about his music and the festival.

Of the tracks that you’ve released, one that really stands out is “Instagram”. Addressing loneliness and preoccupation with social media, the song has garnered quite a number of high profile covers from artistes such as IU and NCT. How do you feel about that?

It was actually an impressive experience for me. As a composer I was very used to writing songs for others. Songs that would sell, do well on charts, and make people want to listen to. One day, I realised that I couldn’t keep doing that, so I just started to write my own story. Seeing my own experience becoming a social phenomenon filled me a lot of thoughts and ideas for the future. I love everyone who loved the song.

How much of your public persona is the real Dean and how much is for the industry? Do you see Instagram as a platform to present your raw, authentic self? And how about the music you produce?

I’m not sure how people perceive DEAN, but I’ve always been doing what I wanted. I want to be myself as much as possible in all circumstances. I think people who react to DEAN are somewhat similar to me and I love people who are similar to me.

You have a reputation for pushing boundaries with your approach to your music and its visual presentation. It’s experimental and it’s up to the audience’s interpretation. What are some of the interesting interpretations that you’ve heard about your music?

Speaking of Instagram, it seems like you were staying in London for a while to prepare your new music. Is there a specific reason that you chose London to be your base for your song production? How does that environment influence your sound?

London’s weather and atmosphere influenced the song a lot. At the time I focusing on the “future” so I went to London without hesitation. I learned so much that it will take days to explain, so I want to show my feelings and thoughts in my music.

Chilly Gonzales – Solo Piano I, II, III, Deb Never, Dominic Fike, Daniel Caesar, MISO, Rad Museum, and TABBER’s new songs.

Throughout your entire career, we’ve seen you work with other soulful artistes such as Anderson. Paak and The Internet’s Syd. You even performed with Daniel Caesar in Paris recently. Tell us about those experiences.

Meeting talented musicians and sharing energy with them is always a pleasant experience. Whenever I think of those times, they still come back as charming memories that mean a lot to me.

When it comes to the creative process of producing music, what usually comes to you first: the story or the melody?

It differs from time to time, but usually melody first. Making a melody is my way of “playing”. I hear melodies even when I’m completely still. Then the melodies catch the emotions I want to express and lead the story through.

What have you found inspiring this year?

I’m inspired by a lot of things. Working on the albums have made me sensitive so it’s inspiring to watch the stability and determination from people and society. Such as people who have been working the same job for more than 20 years, or people regularly starting their days early and heading to the office in the morning. A lot of my inspiration comes from society.

How would you describe your new album compared to your previous work?

Compared to my previous work, I’m focusing on the quality of the mix and master because sound design subconsciously affect people’s emotions. Music and movies are similar. Convincing audiences with a carefully planned out mise-en-scene and item settings are like convincing listeners with lyrics, the connection between tracks, and sound. My previous works were for past DEAN to enjoy and my upcoming works are for the present DEAN.

Lastly, how do you feel about coming back and playing in Malaysia, especially at Good Vibes Festival this time around?

Since the line-up is exciting, I hope I can enjoy the festival as well and watch other artists’ performances after I’m done.

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Top 5 LRT Pet Peeves!

We all have funny Light Rail Transit (LRT) stories, from people falling asleep and missing their stops completely, to people carting questionable items. It’s true, not many people practice good LRT etiquette. And here are the Top 5 LRT Pet Peeves according to some of our stalkers fellow LRT riders.

Whether you’re moving in or moving out of the cabin, especially during rush hour, there will always be the all too eager passengers. Rushing and pushing their way in or out of the LRT, it can only mean one thing; clogged up doorways. Do you mind? Be courteous and please, get out of the way.

You know this one. Yes, we’re talking about people who refuse to give up their seats for the handicapped, pregnant, and aged. There are also “hoggers” who conveniently take one seat for themselves and another for their belongings. What’s the deal?

It’s rush hour, the LRT cabins are jam-packed. What’s the last thing you need? Creepy people! We know, we can’t help it if people come in contact with each other but seriously, body rubbing and looking like you’re meant to do that? Creepy!

Too early in the morning? Too tired after work? Take a seat, have a nap. Or not! It’s almost impossible to be “graceful” when you’re sleeping in the LRT. So don’t scare the passenger next to you when your head conveniently rests on their shoulder. Whoops!

When traveling to and fro in the LRT, riders have no choice but to cart around their entire day’s worth of “luggage” with them. And that’s fine. But if you’re going to carry all that “excess baggage”, there’s always one thing to consider – remember that you’re carrying all that “excess baggage”. Nobody likes to be hit squarely in the face or on the shin by your stuff!

So, LRT riders and to-be LRT riders, have some courtesy. Practice good LRT-riding etiquette for the love of other LRT riders. And if you have any funny or annoying LRT stories you would like to share, leave them in the comments. We would love to hear them!


A$AP Rocky Surprises With Early Release Of “At. Long. Last. A$AP” Album

Unexpected album releases, is without a doubt the in thing right now.

It all started with Beyoncé who surprised fans back in 2013 by releasing her self-titled album in 2013. This trend was then carried on by Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Earl Swearshirt and Tyler, the Creator. Now, joining them is none other than A$AP Rocky.

The Harlem rapper’s sophomore album “At. Long. Last. A$AP” was originally slated for a release on June 2nd, but A$AP alerted fans about the early release with a pair of tweets overnight.

OFFICIAL ALBUM RELASE IN STORES AND ONLINE @ MIDNIGHT TONIGHT , THANX FOR LISTENING , HOPE YALH ENJOYED . BLESS …. A$VP X LIFE X RIP YAMS

— LORD FLACKO JODYE II (@asvpxrocky) May 26, 2015

The 18-track star-studded album features collaboration with Kanye West, Schoolboy Q, Miguel, M.I.A., Mos Def, Juicy J, Lil Wayne and veteran British crooner Rod Stewart. As for the album’s artwork, it’s a follow up to 2013’s Long. Live. A$AP, a tribute to the hip-hop entrepreneur.

You can listen to the new album in full on Spotify below:

For more on A$AP Rocky, stalk him via these platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


#ONECondomsMY: Durian Condoms Now Available In Malaysia

Does it come in D24, D13, D1, or perhaps, D101?

Think you’ve tasted all them flavours? Think again. In case you were unaware, there’s a new exotic flavoured condom in town. Introducing the new durian-flavoured condom – where the world’s most foul-smelling fruit and protected sex come together.

The condom manufacturer, ONE Condom, was launched in Malaysia just last year. Best known for their eye-catching and unique designs on round wrappers, ONE intends to “satisfy your durian cravings” (their words, not ours) while you’re having sex.

We don’t really know what to expect from this product. Will it be smelly? Will the smell overpower other smells? Will it feature painful spikes to satisfy people’s fetish (just kidding)? But we suppose, one way to truly find out is to try the durian condom yourself.

These limited edition durian condoms can be purchased at your nearest 7-Eleven, selected AEON Wellness outlets and Guardian pharmacies.

For more information, hit up ONE condoms’ Facebook page.

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#TheSnowdenFiles: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Slated To Play #Snowden In Biopic

Oh! Oliver Stone seems to have found the man to play NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in his next film, “The Snowden Files”. And we can’t disagree with his choice of an actor even if we tried.

Variety reported that 33-year-old Joseph Gordon-Levitt has agreed to take the lead role as Edward Snowden. Just in case you’ve forgotten, Joseph has aced many roles in his career, having previously starred in the likes of “10 Things I Hate About You“, “Looper“, “Inception” (because who can forget that?), “The Dark Knight Rises“, “(500) Days of Summer”, and even “Don Jon” in which he also directed. As it is, he will already be playing high wire artist Philippe Petit in forthcoming biopic “The Walk”, about the latter’s successful crossing of the World Trade Centre’s Twin Towers in August 1974.

It’s safe to say that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is easily one of Hollywood’s most versatile actor.

Negotiations on the deal have not yet begun, but it seems that both men are keen on making it happen.

Snowden’s story is now familiar to most: the former US intelligence analyst released more classified documents than anyone since Daniel Ellsberg’s leaking of the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War. He has been on the run ever since.

The film, which Stone is writing and directing, now looks likely to be based on 2 books, Harding’s account – full title “The Snowden Files: The Inside Story of the World’s Most Wanted Man” – and Time of the Octopus by Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena.

Stone recently picked up the screen rights to the latter tome after optioning Harding’s book in June. He will be writing and directing and will produce with Eric Kopeloff and Moritz Borman.

Production on “The Snowden Files”, titled after the book by Guardian journalist Luke Harding, is due to begin late this year or in the early part of 2015.


Where Are They Now: 14 Teenage Heartthrobs From The 2000s

Ever wondered what happened to your teenage heartthrobs from the 2000s? You know… Oliver James Hutson, Jonathan Bennett and Jared Padalecki…

Well, here’s a little update on where they are now.

Hutson is well known from “What a Girl Wants” and “Raise Your Voice”. He also starred on “The Innocence Project” on BBC One and several TV movies before leaving the showbiz. He’s still active on Twitter though!

Feldman starred in “The Perfect Man” in 2005 and had a successful TV career. He starred on “Superstore”, “Mad Men”, “The Mindy Project”, “Drop Dead Diva”, “A to Z” and “Silicon Valley”. He got married in 2013 to Michelle Mulitz and they have two children.

Bradford acted in “Bring It On” and “Swimfan” and had recurring roles on TV shows such as “The West Wing” and “Teachers”. In 2018, he tied the knot with Andrea Watrouse and announced that they are expecting a baby in 2021.

In 2004, Goode acted alongside Mandy Moore in “Chasing Liberty”. The English actor is known for his film roles on “Downtown Abbey”, “The Good Wife” and “The Imitation Game”. He has three children with his wife, Sophie Dymoke.

Best known for his role in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, the American actor starred in “First Daughter” and “Necessary Roughness ” before permanently working for the Hallmark Channel. The journalist Ryan Haddon became his spouse in 2009.

McDorman who acted on “Aquamarine” and “Bring It On 3” also starred on “Greek”, “Limitless”, “Manhattan Love Story” as well as the “Murphy Brown” revival.

Smith is currently acting in The CW’s “Nancy Drew”. He formally acted in “New York Minute”, “90210”, “True Blood”, “Nashville”, “Frequency” and “Life Sentence”. He has one daughter courtesy of actor Ashli Robson.

Padalecki is best known for portraying Sam Winchester on “Supernatural” which concluded in 2020. Previously, he acted in “New York Minute” and “Gilmore Girls”. He’ll be starring in an upcoming reboot of “Walker, Texas Ranger”. He is happily married with Genevieve Cortese, whom he met on the set of “Supernatural” and they have three children.

Murray’s role as Lucas Scott in “One Tree Hill” quickly brought him into the public eye. He recently made a comeback in 2019 on “Riverdale” and has acted in several movies on Hallmark Channel. Sarah Roemer was the lucky woman to become his wife and they have two kids.

West acted in “A Walk to Remember” and continued having regular roles on TV series such as “ER”, “Nikita” and “Salem”.

Famously remembered for his role in “Mean Girls”, Bennet reappeared in shows like “Veronica Mars” and “Cheaper by the Dozen 2”. He has also hosted a few Food Network shows and participated in competitions such as “Dancing With the Stars” and “Celebrity Big Brother”.

He recently acted in “The Christmas House”, a Hallmark movie released in 2020, as Brandon who is openly gay in the film. His boyfriend, Jaymes Vaughan proposed to him on “The Christmas House” set in November 2020.

Faris starred in “Sleepover” in 2004 and had a recurring role on “Pretty Little Liars”. In recent years, he has been acting in several movies intended for TV-viewers. Faris tied the knot with Cherie Jimenez in 2017.

Sources: IMDb and InformationCradleIn 2004, Mably appeared, acting as Eddie in “The Prince and Me”. In more recent years, he guest-starred on a few American TV shows, such as “NCIS: New Orleans” and “SEAL Team”.

Remember Superman from “Smallville”? This is him now.

Welling also acted in “Cheaper by the Dozen” and its sequel in 2005 as well as TV shows such as “Lucifer” and “Professionals”. As for films, he appeared in “Draft Day”. Four years after his divorce with Jamie White in 2015, Welling married Jessica Rose Lee.

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#LucBesson: Sequels For “Lucy” & “Colombiana” Are In The Works

Not one to shy away from sequels or franchises, Luc Besson has directed a number of action movies that went on to spawn multiple sequels. From “Taxi” to “Taken” to “The Transporter”, Besson sure knows how to maintain a story’s continuity with his frequent screenwriting collaborator Robert Mark Kamen.

Although his 2014 film “Lucy” ended in an anti-climatic way, this female-led box office success is reportedly getting a sequel.

Starring Scarlett Johansson, “Lucy” centres on the title character who is tricked into working as a drug mule by her new boyfriend. She is forced to deliver some highly valuable synthetic drug called CPH4 to a Korean mob boss and drug lord, but ended up gaining psychokinetic abilities when some of the drugs she was carrying started to leak into her bloodstream. She is granted with telekinetic powers, the ability to absorb intelligence instantly, and the ability to not feel pain or other discomforts.

However, the ending left no room for sequel, with Besson himself admitting to the Taiwanese press last summer that “Lucy 2” will not happen. He said, “I don’t see how we can do (a sequel). It’s not made for that. If I find something good enough, maybe I will, but for now I don’t even think about it“.

Well, we don’t see how a sequel is impossible, especially since this action movie grossed over $458 million worldwide on a budget of $40 million.

And it seems like Besson himself is changing his mind too. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it was revealed during a presentation at French film trade expo CineEurope that Besson’s production company EuropaCorp is planning to develop a sequel to “Lucy”

With that vague and mind-boggling ending, it is definitely difficult to predict how the story will go from there. But if Besson could somehow crack a story that would maintain the story’s continuity, then we are certain that Johansson will return to reprise her role.

On a separate note, the studio revealed at CineEurope that a sequel of 2011’s “Colombiana” is also in development. The film, which starred Zoe Saldana in the leading role, grossed $60 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. Though it scored poor reviews, a sequel could work as Saldana will be seen next in “Star Trek 3” and the sequels to James Cameron’s “Avatar“.

The current EuropaCorp roster features a number of action films including:

So, are you excited about the sequels? Let us know in the comments box below.

Source: THR via Screen Rant / Image source: New York Post, wallpapers111.com


#YIFY: Popular Torrent Release Group Shuts Down Permanently

It’s confirmed: YIFY and its website, YTS, are officially gone now.

Multiple unnamed but trusted sources confirmed to TorrentFreak that there’s no coming back for the popular torrent release group and its website as they have shut down permanently.

According to TorrentFreak, YIFY and YTS have stopped working without warning or explanation since 2 weeks ago.

Though there’s no official statement from the group, several sources confirmed to TorrentFreak about its demise. Additional information about the shutdown have also been asked to avoid revealing it at the time.

Our sister site Lowyat.Net pointed out that the group’s closure could be voluntary as it has not been tracked down by law enforcement agencies.

YIFY has shared more than 6,000 releases since arriving in the scene in 2010.

It closure has raised concern among many BitTorrent users because the torrent release group dominated public BitTorrent sites for several years. Some users also expressed their disappointment as the group is one of the biggest torrent systems to consistently release good quality movies online.

Though the closure of the group doesn’t mean the piracy will finally come to an end, the unexpected shutdown has definitely marked the end of an astonishing era.

On a separate note, the closure of YIFY may greatly affect the efficiency of Popcorn Time as the torrent release group is the primary supplier of content for many of the app’s forks.

Since YIFY and YTS sites have shut down permanently, torrent users are advised to avoid the fake sites that have appeared over the last few weeks for security reasons.

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CONTEST: Win Tickets To See Spector Live in KL!

Ding ding! Great news. Thanks to our wonderful friends from Universal Music Malaysia, we have FIVE PAIRS of exclusive passes to giveaway to five lucky readers/followers. What passes?

You’ve read our interview, you’ve checked out our review of “Enjoy It While It Lasts”, and you’ve probably looped their music over and over after too. Here’s your chance to see them live at Stage Club, Avenue K come 6th October 2012 (Saturday). Also, might we add, that passes to Spector‘s showcase in Malaysia aren’t for sale so they’re pretty exclusive, alright!

2. Tweet the following message, “I deserve to win exclusive @Spector showcase passes from @HypeMy & @UMusicMalaysia because..”

3. Be sure to tag both @HypeMy and @UMusicMalaysia otherwise we couldn’t be able to see it!

Easy, huh? Go on, get going, do it. Meanwhile, here’s an awesome song from Spector themselves to keep you company while you submit your entry:

[youtube id=”sk6TgpwlbiI” width=”600″ height=”350″]

1. Please state your full name, IC number, e-mail address and contact number in your contest entry.

2. Winners will be announced on our Facebook page and a winners list post.

3. Contest is open to those residing in Selangor only.

4. Prizes are strictly nontransferable. Hype Malaysia reserves the right to refuse the collection of prizes for those who attempt to transfer it from one contest winner (in whose name it is registered) to another person.

5. Submissions close on the 3rd October 2012 (Wednesday).

For more information, hit up Universal Music Malaysia’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to “Like” them for making this happen!


Sekinchan’s Famous Treehouse Burnt Down

Uh-oh. It looks like someone is not really fond of the iconic treehouse as seen in the popular Hong Kong-Malaysia’s drama, “Outbound Love”. So much so that he/she has taken the liberty to get rid of it – by burning it down!

It was reported that the treehouse, located at a hidden beach in Sekinchan, was toasted to ashes. According to Oriental Daily, the fishermen nearby the area saw the treehouse on fire at around 5am one morning. No suspects were spotted on the crime scene but the incident caused much uproar among the locals and the fans of the drama.

During a press conference, Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim said the beach is a popular recreation destination as various local dramas and movies have used the beach as a shooting location. The locals would set up vendor booths to sell fruits and snacks for the tourists. Thus, the beach is an important tourism asset in Sekinchan.

TVB artistes such as Ruco Chen and Aimee Chan starred in the Hong Kong drama which was a joint project with Malaysia’s broadcast network Astro. The whole production team were here for a month-long to shoot the drama in major cities including Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Two-thirds of the drama was shot at various tourist spots and some newly discovered places such as Sekinchan’s Redang Beach. The drama also had full support from the Penang Tourism Board as well.

Fortunately, the white treehouse was the only treehouse that got burnt down as the rest of the houses are still well-maintained and more importantly, still standing. The assemblyman has already reported the case to the authorities and hopes that people would try their best to protect and preserve the beach’s facilities.

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Alibaba Provides Cloud Pin At The Olympic Games For Media Professionals At Tokyo 2020

Alibaba Group, the Worldwide TOP Partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has unveiled the Alibaba Cloud Pin, a cloud-based digital pin, for the broadcasting and media professionals at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The pin can be worn either as a badge or attached to a lanyard. The digital wearable is designed to enable media professionals working at the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) and Main Press Centre (MPC) to engage with each other and exchange social media contact information in a safe and interactive manner during the upcoming Olympic Games between 23rd July and 8th August.

“The Olympic Games has always been a thrilling event with opportunities for media staff to meet like-minded professionals. With this unprecedented Olympic Games, we want to use our technology to add new exciting elements to the Olympic pin tradition at the IBC and MPC while connecting media professionals and enabling them to maintain social interactions with safe distancing,” said Chris Tung, chief marketing officer of Alibaba Group. “As a proud Worldwide Olympic Partner, Alibaba is dedicated to the transformation of the Games in the digital era, making the experience more accessible, aspirational and inclusive for broadcasters, sports fans and athletes from across the world.”

“Today more than ever we look to engage people around the world through our digital ecosystem and connect them with the spirit of Tokyo 2020,” said Christopher Carroll, Director of Digital Engagement and Marketing at the International Olympic Committee. “We are excited to be partnering with Alibaba to support us in our digital transformation journey and to help us build engagement ahead of the Olympic Games.”

Serving as a multifunctional digital name tag, the pin enables users to meet and greet each other, add people to their ‘friend list’, and exchange daily activity updates, such as step counts and the number of friends made during the day. This can be done easily by tapping their pins together at arm’s length, bearing in mind the social distancing measures.

The digital pins also include specific designs of each of the 33 sports on the Tokyo 2020 Programme, which can be unlocked through a list of playful tasks like making new friends. To activate the pin, users simply need to download a Cloud Pin application, and pair it with the wearable device via its bluetooth function. This Cloud pin at the Olympic Games will be given as a token to the media professionals working at the IBC and MPC during the Olympics.

As the official Cloud Services partner of the IOC, Alibaba Cloud offers world-class cloud computing infrastructure and cloud services to help enable the Olympic Games to digitalise its operations to be more efficient, effective, secure and engaging for fans, broadcasters and athletes from Tokyo 2020 onwards.

In addition to Tokyo 2020, Alibaba Cloud and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) launched OBS Cloud, an innovative broadcasting solution that operates entirely on the cloud, to help transform the media industry for the digital era.


#ToyStory4: Woody To Find Love With Bo Peep In 4th “Toy Story” Film

The “Toy Story” franchise ended on a lovely note with “Toy Story 3”, but considering how it was the first feature-length computer animated film produced by Pixar, Disney doesn’t want to be done with it just yet.

In the past, the movies have always been ixated on the relationship between Woody, a pull-string cowboy doll and Buzz Lightyear, an astronaut action figure. But over the weekend, Disney Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter confirmed the plot for “Toy Story 4“, revealing that they will now focuson the relationship between Woody and his love interest, Bo Peep.

During the D23 Expo, Lasseter confirmed that the 4th “Toy Story” movie will “be a love story” between Woody and Bo Peep. He added, “At Pixar and at Disney, we only make sequels if we come up with a story that’s as good or better than the original. That’s our rule. We don’t do things just to print money.”

That statement holds true for some of Pixar’s most popular animated feature films. Movies like “Up”, “WALL-E”, and “Brave” haven’t got sequels lined up yet but when the studio finally plans sequels for their films, it would usually take years for them to complete it.

Case in point, the “Toy Story” franchise. The first “Toy Story” movie, which was directed by Lasseter, was released in 1995. Its sequel was released 4 years later (1999) while the 3rd film was released in 2010, which is 11 years after “Toy Story 2” was released.

As the story in the past 3 films usually centres on the friendship between Woody and Buzz Lightyear, the 4th film will mark the first time ever for the studio to focus on the relationship between Woody and Bo Peep.

First introduced in the original 1995 “Toy Story”, Bo Peep was voiced by Annie Potts (of “Ghostbusters” fame). Though she is Woody’s love interest, she has a short-lived appearance onscreen and only appeared in a home move flashback in “Toy Story 3”. Her situation remains a much-debated mystery and it is unclear whether the next film will be a prequel or a sequel.

Lasseter will return to direct alongside Josh Cooley. Actors-turned-screenwriters Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, who previously penned and starred in “Celeste and Jesse Forever”, will be penning the script for “Toy Story 4”. They’re working from a story idea by Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, and Lee Unkrich. Pixar’s Galyn Susman will produce.

The studio hasn’t announced the official voice cast members, but Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack are expected to return.

“Toy Story 4” is currently slated for release on 16th June 2017.

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#IfCarlsbergDid: #CarlsbergMY Launches “Probably the Best Beer” Campaign

It’s true – Carlsberg is probablt the best beer in the world. Remember their “If Carlsberg Did” “Probably the best poster in the world” stunt?

Last Friday, Carlsberg Malaysia kicked off their new “If Carlsberg Did” thematic campaign, which puts a modern twist on probably the most iconic beer advertising campaign of all time.

The campaign demonstrates what the “world” would be like if it was as superior as Carlsberg beer and has been running in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, and a range of other markets around the world. And now, Malaysia is ready to take this a step forward based on strong local insights that ring true to our consumers within the region.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

At the launch, where members of the media were pampered with free flow Carlsberg beer, shoulder and hand massages, and some fun and games i.e. pool, darts, Marketing Director of Carlsberg Malaysia Juliet Yap said:

This campaign that we are embarking on is unique, as it plays with Carlsberg’s trademark humour and imagination. It reflects well on the brand’s commitment which strives to deliver the finest quality in everything it does since 1847, especially its beer.

Engaging consumers from a digital front, Carlsberg’s thematic campaign was launched with a 30-second web video which offers an amusing and refreshing take on a common experience of an everyday beer drinker. The video captures a man’s weariness as he accompanies his girlfriend while she shops.

The story takes a twist when he discovers, to his sheer delight, a men’s oasis behind the walls of the fitting room.

Fun fact: The video was above produced locally and will be released in other Carlsberg markets around the world.

“It is definitely a cheeky take on a couple’s shopping experience. In coming up with this video, the thought was that, if Carlsberg did fitting rooms and got into the shopping experience, what would it be like? I am sure we would work to make it the best fitting room in the world for men! But we don’t, we make probably the best beer in the world,” Juliet explained.

Taking the campaign beyond the screen and bringing it to life in a way that engages consumers, shoppers around Pavilion and Mid Valley Mega Mall in KL, Gurney Plaza in Penang and The Shore in Malacca, were taken by surprise on Friday and Saturday (5th and 6th June), with those carrying shopping bags being treated to a complimentary pint of Carlsberg at participating Carlsberg outlets.

“Taking cue from the tagline ‘If Carlsberg Did…’, we thought it would be a good idea to put a smile on shoppers, particularly those accompanying their partners shopping. We hope to give shoppers probably the best shopping experience, with probably the best beer,” Juliet smiled.

When asked about further plans for the campaign, Juliet revealed that it will run through the year, with another 5 web films being set for release. Similar to the debut video, the forthcoming videos are in similar vein, highlighting everyday experiences and how Carlsberg turns them into something superior in a witty manner, which is set to bring more consumer smiles and cheers.

Complementing this thematic campaign and bringing to life the essence of Carlsberg’s brand promise, where it always strives to enhance consumers’ experience in everything it does, 150 participating food courts and Chinese restaurants throughout the country will be running the Carlsberg “Get-Together” Night.

At these events, consumers stand a chance to win a barrel of Carlsberg at the outlet. This provides a unique experience for consumers in these outlets as they do not normally enjoy Carlsberg fresh from tap.

Discover the world of “If Carlsberg Did…” here and stay tuned for more upcoming Carlsberg consumer promotions and activations.

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#SunwayPyramid: Woman Shares How Pickpockets Stole Her Phone While Shopping

Yesterday (Wednesday, 15th March), a pickpocket victim named Elaine Lai took to Facebook to post up a status detailing how her phone was stolen while she was shopping at Asian Avenue in Sunway Pyramid.

She also posted several CCTV screenshots and footages of the incident.

According to the post, Elaine was browsing through a rack of clothes alone in a fashion boutique when the incident happened. A few minutes later, she realised her phone, which was in a bag that she was carrying, was stolen. She also mentioned that another customer lost her phone as well.

After checking the CCTV, the victims found out that their phones were looted by a woman who is wearing a black shirt and a grey tudung (see picture above). Elaine also pointed out that the other tudung-clad woman in the shop is the pickpocket’s accomplice.

See Elaine’s full post and the CCTV videos below:

(P/s: Elaine is the victim in the 2nd video.)

Upon reading Elaine’s post, many netizens shared Elaine’s videos to their friends, warning them about pickpockets in shopping malls. One Facebook user named Taw said that she encountered the same situation before. She commented, “My phone was stolen there (Sunway Pyramid) too! So annoying!”

However, one netizen named Lee commented that the victim’s carelessness is the cause of the theft, adding, “You know our country is not safe, plenty of thieves around but still want to make stupid mistakes.”

We’d like to remind our readers to be careful with their belongings because theft can happen at anytime, anywhere.


DiGi Brings Vintage Back!

Remember a times when phones were less smart but also much simpler? Ah, the good old days of the hardy brick-sized Nokia cellphones, and the flip ones, and the ones with antennas. What? Antennas? Yes, antennas.

And the awesome news is that DiGi is bringing these “vintage” phones back!

Who wouldn’t love the Nokia 3310 with interchangeable covers, really? And who needs Candy Crush when you’ve got the awesome snake game? Plus, you can’t possibly say no to the Motorola StarTAC, can you? Not if it “looks cool when you answer calls”!

Don’t even get us started on the Ericsson SH888 – 104 hours standby, gosh! We’ll never have to constantly charge our phones ever again. Right? Because it’ll never, ever, ever die on us. Especially not on April Fools’ Day.


TUMI’s New ‘Bouquet Of Lilacs’ Adds Colour To This Year’s Mother’s Day!

Leaving your Mother’s Day gift-hunting to the last minute? Allow us to unburden you. Consider this: every mum deserves a getaway and a stunning carry-on to take along for the journey, right? So, this Mother’s Day, why not treat mum to a gift of design excellence and effortlessness – with TUMI’s newest range? It’s a no-brainer!

Reflecting TUMI’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, the relaunch of the beloved women’s Voyageur collection incorporates recycled materials into core designs, highlighting TUMI’s dedication to making products of exceptional quality and unparalleled durability.

From on-trend micro totes to convenient crossbodies, these products are designed with both functionality and style in mind, making the perfect gift for the modern-day mom.

If a holiday (or staycation!) is on the cards, complete your collection with the 19 Degree collection! In bright colourways such as coral, mist, and lilac (to match your Voyageur bag), these luggage items will ensure you stand out from the crowd, while offering the perfect blend of form and function.

Show the special women in your life how much you care, and give them the gift of TUMI this Mother’s Day!

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Genting Highlands Has Started Charging For Parking Beginning This Month

Genting Highlands is a common spot for KL-ites to visit for short getaways or hang out during weekends.

Unfortunately, we got bad news for all you frequent visitors. Starting from this month (1st October), parking rates have been imposed for most parking lots as well as hotels including Maxims, Genting Grand, First World, and Sky Plaza.

For the time being, parking rates at Genting Highlands are priced at RM5 per day on weekdays and RM8 per day on weekends or public holidays. However, these rates are only temporary as they will be revised once more come 1st January 2018.

According to China Press, parking rates for all parking lots will be charged on an hourly basis next year. Rates for weekdays will be RM2 per hour (maximum charge of RM12 per day). On weekends or public holidays however, rates are RM3 per hour (maximum charge of RM18 per day).

The good news is, Genting Rewards card members can still enjoy free parking until the end of this month (31st October). However, for the remaining months of November and December, only Gold card members and above are entitled to the free parking.

Sources: China Press, KL Now/ Featured image: J-Travel.


Star Wars: The Last Jedi Gets Destroyed At The Chinese Box Office By Indian Movie Secret Superstar

While “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” did not gross as much as its predecessor, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” at the global box office, it still made a crap ton of money.

Nearing the end of its run, “The Last Jedi” is currently the 9th highest grossing movie of all time, worldwide, having grossed more than $US 1.3 billion.

However, one country does not seem that interested in “Star Wars” movies — China! As it stands, “The Last Jedi” has grossed around $US 42.5 million in China. Now, $US 42.5 million may seem like a lot of money (okay, who am I kidding, it is a lot of money) but not when you compare it to the likes of “Transformers: Age of Extinction” ($US 320 million), “The Fate of the Furious” ($US 392 million) and “Avengers: Age of Ultron” ($US 240 million).

Over the years, China’s box office has become almost as important as the US. You can check out the list of movies, Hollywood or otherwise, that have made a truckload of money in China, here. It would appear that “Star Wars” movies simply do not resonate with the Chinese audience. “The Force Awakens” kick started the new age of “Star Wars” with decent enough numbers, grossing over $US 124 million at the Chinese box office. However, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” took a major dive, grossing merely $US 69 million. It looks like China is simply losing interest in stories about laser swords wielded by peeps in hobo outfits.

What’s even more interesting is that Indian movie, “Secret Superstar” starring and produced by Aamir Khan is crushing it big time. As of right now, “Secret Superstar” has grossed over $US 109 million over at the Chinese box office. That is a whopping $US 66 million more than “The Last Jedi”. Heck, “Secret Superstar” made more money in China than it did in India itself ($US 14 million).

Over the past three years or so, Aamir Khan has proven himself to be one of the biggest movie stars in the world. His previous film, “Dangal”, is the highest grossing Indian film of all time ($US 330 million) — it made more than $US 193 million in China alone.


Contest: Prost! Because GAB Wants To Bring #Oktoberfest To You

It’s the month of October and we’re not going to just let it pass without celebrating Oktoberfest in style. By “style”, we mean that we’ve got some exclusive goodies to giveaway to our readers, courtesy of our friends from Guinness Anchor Berhad (GAB).

Put it this way: If for some reason, you can’t make it to any of the Oktoberfest celebrations, GAB wants to bring Oktoberfest to you!

E-mail your answers with your details (Name, IC, Contact number) to submit@hype.my.

We’ll pick 5 (FIVE) winners and each winner will win:

• 1 crate of Heineken beer
• 1 crate of Kirin Ichiban beer
• 1 set of personalised Oktoberfest mugs (2 designs)

For more information, visit GAB’s Oktoberfest Facebook page.

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