Fun Facts: 15 Things You Might Not Know About “#MadMax: Fury Road”

Visionary isn’t enough to describe director George Miller, the man who had to work as an emergency room doctor to introduce us to the jaw-dropping “Mad Max” film franchise in 1979. He brought the hellish post-apocalypse future of Australia to the big screen and helped turn Mel Gibson into a global superstar. A few decades later, Miller returned to the driver’s seat as he reintroduced the world he first envisioned through his latest film, “Mad Max: Fury Road“.

Directed, produced, and co-written by Miller, the movie is the 4th instalment of the “Mad Max” franchise and it takes place after the events of the 3rd “Mad Max” film titled, “Beyond Thunderdome” (1985). “The Drop” actor Tom Hardy is starring in the film as Max Rockatansky, a character originally played by Gibson. The movie also stars Charlize Theron, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, Nathan Jones, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

From badass characters to stunning visuals and mind-boggling action scenes, here are some of the things you might not know about “Mad Max: Fury Road”

Fans of the original “Mad Max” trilogy will be pleased to hear this.

Contrary to popular belief, “Mad Max: Fury Road” is neither a reboot/remake nor a prequel. It is said to be a sequel that takes place 30 years after the 3rd film. To be more precise, Miller called it “a revisit” as it helped relaunch the post-apocalyptic world first envisioned by himself.

2. Health Ledger was originally courted to play Max

During an interview with The Daily Beast, Miller revealed that Australian actor Heath Ledger was originally courted for the role of Max. However, Ledger passed away a few months after he finished filming his performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” (2008).

Every time Heath (Ledger) would come through Sydney, he’d call in and we’d chat about Max. He had that same thing that Mel and Tom Hardy have—that maleness, charisma, and restless energy, which you need to play a relatively still character. The world lost someone great when he went. Tom (Hardy) was the next to walk through the door that had that vibe.

Liam Fountain, who played Max in 2011’s short film “Mad Max Renegade”, also auditioned for the role but ultimately lost the part to Tom Hardy.

3. Capable married the stuntman of Coma the Doof Warrior aka the guitar-wielding man in real life

One of the “Five Wives” named “Capable” is portrayed by Riley Keough, the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and musician Danny Keough, as well as the eldest granddaughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley.

She made her film debut via 2010’s “The Runaways”, a biographical drama based on the 1970s all-girl rock band of the same name. She also portrayed a stripper in the original “Magic Mike” movie. She then began dating her “Magic Mike” co-star Alex Pettyfer and became briefly engaged to him.

A post shared by Riley Keough (@rileykeough)

On 14th August 2014, the actress took to Facebook to announce her engagement to Ben Smith-Petersen, a stuntman who portrays Coma the Doof Warrior aka the blind guitarist (played by Sean Hape) as seen in Miller’s movie. The 2 met on set of “Mad Max: Fury Road”, which began filming in 2012.

They married earlier in February this year in Napa, California.

4. Charlize Theron had to wear a wig in “A Million Ways to Die in The West” due to her role in “Mad Max: Fury Road”

Charlize Theron prided herself on her bouncy blonde hair, but she had to ditch her signature look for her role in “Mad Max: Fury Road”. The Oscar-winning actress was forced to shave her head to portray Imperator Furiosa in Miller’s movie.

In the midst of filming the “Mad Max” film, she had a few projects under her belt, including the filming of Seth MacFarlane’s “A Million Ways to Die in the West“. As she was still sporting the shaven head, she had to wear a wig for her role in MacFarlane’s movie.

5. Over 80% of the stunts and action sequences are real

One of the many reasons why we are so impressed with this movie is because more than 80% of the effects in the movie are real. Miller applied real practical effects, stunts, make-up, and sets because when he first started the “Mad Max” franchise, CGI was yet to be developed.

Now that he has returned, he made sure that CGI was only used to enhance the Namibian landscape and remove stunt rigging. It was used for Theron’s left arm, which in the film was a prosthetic arm.

6. Miller hired “The Vagina Monologues” writer Eve Ensler to consult

Miller made sure that women in the film are represented with more accuracy by hiring “The Vagina Monologues” writer Eve Ensler as a consultant. Ensler has worked with with abused women and sex slaves in the Congo, Haiti, Bosnia, Japan, and other countries.

To ensure the cast understood their characters better, she met with them for workshops during the shoot in Namibia. Regarding the workshops, she said:

It was really a wonderful experience for me and a real honour to sit with those wonderful actors and talk about issues like how do you feel carrying a baby of someone who’s raped you? What does it mean to be held captive by a warlord who is using you as a breeder and raping you constantly? You know, I wanna say that you know, this a post-apocalyptic movie, but it seems to me that for many in the world, the future is now. There’s many people living this story.

One of the Many Mothers aka the Vuvalini is portrayed by Melissa Jaffer, a renowned Australian actress who has appeared in multiple Australian films. Her character is the eldest warrior woman who carries hope for the future in a satchel filled with plants and seeds.

During an interview with NPR, the 78-year-old actress made a shocking reveal by stating that she and the other actresses did their own stunts in the movie. “We’re a badass lot, yeah,” she said. “I mean, my character is no doubt a killer.” Jaffer added:

And I got feeling from a lot of the crew members that they didn’t think it was right women of my age to be doing that sort of thing. You know, sometimes they’d come up and say, oh, he shouldn’t ask you to do that. And I would say why? And they’d say, well, because you’re an older woman. I did it, and I have to say, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Jaffer also said she jumped at the opportunity to portray such a ferocious character, despite it was a box office risk for Miller.

“The roles that one is offered at this age, quite frankly, you’re either in a nursing home, you’re in a hospital bed dying, you’re suffering from dementia, or in fact, in two cases, I was offered two characters who’d actually died and come back to life,” she said. “So when this role came along, I thought well, I won’t get another chance like this before I die, and that’s why I took it. It was absolutely wonderful. Wonderful role.”

Miller said he has plans to bring the actress back in the upcoming “Mad Max” sequels.

After years of working as a fashion model, Australian model Coutney Eaton made her film debut via “Mad Max: Fury Road”. She plays “Fragile”, one of 5 women who were captured by Immortan Joe for the sole purpose of breeding. According to Eaton, her father is a big fan of the series, who encouraged her to audition for the part.

I’m grateful to (director) George Miller for plucking me from Perth by casting me in Mad Max, and to my dad, who, when I didn’t know if I wanted to audition, kind of made me do it. He was like, “It’s Mad Max—you can’t say no.”

She will be seen next in “Gods of Egypt”, which is scheduled for release next year (2016).

9. The “Five Wives” got matching tattoos

Eaton spent majority of the time working with Abbey Lee Kershaw, Riley Keough, Zoë Kravtiz, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Their friendship bond naturally grew stronger, to the point of having the same tattoo.

“We all got the same tattoo—three little dots and a triangle,” Eaton told Vanity Fair. She further revealed that they all got the same tattoo to commemorate the filming experience.

10. Nicholas Hoult lied to get his role as Nux

From “Warm Bodies” to Bryan Singer’s “X-Men” film franchise, Nicholas Hoult has had quite a few major roles under his belt. So, how exactly did he snag the role of Nux? According to Hoult, he lied.

Apparently, he was asked to tell a story at his audition. He decided to borrow a wedding disaster story from his actor friend Liam Cunningham, who once attended a wedding in Ireland that almost cost a grandfather his life.

The bride got grease on her skirt and they got petrol filtered out of a tank to get this grease off and then they poured it down the toilet. She was fine, she went down the aisle. But then the grandad of the family, he liked to smoke a pipe, so he went to the toilet at one point… sat down on the toilet, lit his pipe, had a puff and then threw the match in the toilet and it exploded. He had to be carried out on a stretcher. It was, like, this huge disaster story, and the whole time, like, the casting director was looking around the camera, going, “No way.” I told it as if I was there. I lied.

11. The actresses designed their own costumes

One interesting thing we’ve learned from Rosie Huntinton-Whitley’s interivew with Esquire is that she and her co-stars chose how they want to be seen in “Mad Max: Fury Road”. She also talked about the difficulty of filming for her role by comparing it with her film debut in “Transformers”.

When I was filming “Transformers”, I went home to a fancy hotel and a spa and room service. “Mad Max” was tougher because of the location that we were at.

She further revealed that the cast members “didn’t know much about (their) characters” upon signing on for the movie. “I had made the assumption that I was going to be in bad-ass leathers and jackets and studs and motorcycle boots and all of that,” she said. But when she turned up in the costume department, Miller had the actresses design their own costumes from scraps of bandages.

Poor Riley (Keough) got pneumonia or hypothermia. All of us got colds and aches and pains. It was tough. It was physically tough, for sure.

12. Vertigo to release “Mad Max: Fury Road” comic book prequels

Vertigo of DC Comics will be releasing 3 comic book prequels, one per month, that detail the backstory for a character in the film. The first comic titled “Mad Max: Fury Road – Nux and Immortan Joe” was released on 20th May 2015. The subsequent prequels titled “Mad Max: Fury Road – Furiosa” and “Mad Max: Fury Road – Mad Max #1” will be released on 17th June and 8th July respectively.

Titled “Mad Max: Fury Road – Inspired Artists Deluxe Edition”, a deluxe edition hardcover collection of art inspired by the film was released earlier on 6th May 2015.

You can read the preview of the first prequel at Comic Book Resource.

13. How Miller created the Coma the Doof Warrior

Coma the Doof Warrior aka the blind electric guitarist is portrayed by Sean Hape, who is better known as iOTA. He is one of the most talked about characters in the entire movie. Immortan Joe has a vehicle equipped with a mountain of speakers dedicated entirely for him and his back-up percussionists to keep the soldiers’ blood pumping with his heavy-metal soundtrack.

Even when he doesn’t show up onscreen with his explosive movements and fire-breathing electric guitar, the war music that grows louder and louder with each passing minute had us sitting at the edge of our seats.

According to Miller, the electric guitarist is one character that didn’t get his own comic.

I want to tell a story about him in a comic if there’s an opportunity. For me, it was all about how someone who is blind survives in this place. How does someone weak survive the apocalypse? He survived because he was blind – because he lived deep in an unlit mine, where it was an advantage to be blind. So, deep in the mine, he would sit there and eat rodents and get the water from the sea bed — and he would also play his guitar where no one could hear it. One day Immortan Joe came past, and someone heard the music. Then he was called upon when (Joe) needed a bugler or the bagpipe — someone who helps call everyone to war.

Hugh Keays-Byrne starred in the film as Immortan Joe, the silver-haired main antagonist who has a troupe of zombie-like war boys. However, he also appeared in the first “Mad Max” film as “Toecutter”, an axe-wielding leader of motorcycle gang that killed Max’s wife and child.

Similar to Joe, Toecutter is a ruthless leader who is capable of both savagery and strategy. However, he met a suitably grisly end beneath the wheels of an oncoming truck.

15. Every character’s name has a meaning or a backstory

From Immortan Joe to The Dag to Slit, Miller made sure that each character’s name has a backstory or a meaning.

When asked about how he crafted the names, he explained:

One of the things is that everything in the story has to have some sort of underlying backstory. Not just every character, but every vehicle, every weapon, every costume – and the same with the language. So (the concept) was always found objects, repurposed. Immortan Joe is a slight adjustment to the word “immortal.” The character Nux says “mcfeasting” instead of using the word “feasting.”

Miller also explained that “The Dag” (portrayed by Abbey Lee Karshaw) is his favourite “Fury Road” character name because “the dag is sort of a goofball-type”. He added, “I also like Nux, but I don’t know where that came from. And Slit… well…(makes a slit-the-throat gesture).”

Released on 15th May 2015, the movie has received nothing but high praises from critics and fans alike, with some of them calling it “the best action movie of all time”. For a film that spent around 25 years in development hell, Miller outdone himself by providing us with 2 hours of pure action and madness.

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

(Sources: NZ Herald, Business Insider, Esquire, io9, The Playlist, movies.com, MTV, Daily Dot, Daily Beast, NPR, Vanity Fair, Fandago)

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7 Pop Stars Who Have Performed At Taylor Swift’s Reputation Tour

There is a reason why Taylor Swift’s concerts always sell out like hot cakes as soon as they go on sale.

Inspirational speeches and spectacular set designs are just some of the highlights concert-goers can expect from a Taylor Swift tour. In recent years, Swifties and casual fans have come to anticipate something more: celebrity guests. Here are the pop stars who have stopped by her “Reputation” shows so far:

Both Camila Cabelllo and Charli XCX were the first opening acts for “Reputation” tour. Camila has been besties with Tay Tay since her Fifth Harmony days. Taylor even hosted Camila’s epic 18th birthday. Meanwhile, Charli was one of the special guests on the “1989 World Tour”. It’s nice to see her back for Taylor’s latest concert.

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

Just like Charli, Shawn Mendes also performed at Taylor’s “1989 World Tour”. Another guest appearance by the handsome singer-songwriter was inevitable. Last month, Shawn joined Taylor on stage at Pasadena, California, where they performed a rousing rendition of “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back”.

Selena Gomez and Taylor have been BFFs for the longest time. The “Bad Liar” singer first appeared on Taylor’s “Speak Now World Tour” and performed “Who Says” together. During the “1989 World Tour” they sang “Good for You” and recently treated audiences in Pasedena with “Hands to Myself”.

Selena wasn’t the only guest singer in Pasadena on 19th May. Troye Sivan and Taylor have always been huge supporters of each other’s career, so it’s nice to see them perform a rendition of “My My My!” for music lovers. We could learn a thing or two about strutting on stage with a fierce attitude from these superstars.

Fans flipped out when Taylor brought Niall Horan on stage during her concert in London last week. The former One Direction member sang “Slow Dance” and it marked the first time we’ve seen them duet together.

There are superstars, and there icons. Robbie Williams belongs in the latter category. Taylor left fans pleasantly surprised as she brought out Robbie Williams during her 2nd performance at Wembley Stadium. The duo belted out the Brit’s classic hit “Angels”. Robbie even went a step further by wearing a Taylor Swift T-shirt and a red and black sequinned jacket.

A post shared by hayley kiyoko (@hayleykiyoko)

Rising pop singer Hayley Kiyoko received an invitation from Swift to perform her single “Curious” at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. This was Kiyoko’s first performance at a stadium. Needless to say, Tay Tay and Hay Hay made a good team on stage!

The list of A-list guests just keeps getting better and better ;)


#RedBull: Infiniti Red Bull Racing Flags Off 2015 Season

Red Bull Product of Europe today announced a special Infiniti Red Bull Racing Season Flag Off viewing event on 15th March 2015 at Publika’s The Square to welcome the beginning of a pulsating new race season.

The Sunday event will run from 10am till late and will feature this year’s season opener at the Melbourne Circuit live on big screen from 1pm onwards, along with a number of other interactive and challenging Red Bull Racing activities befitting true blue racing fans throughout the day.

Highlights include Red Bull Racing edutainment on Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s top moments from the last decade, which include four constructors and four drivers’ championships in the last five years. Fans who think they have what it takes to be a top motorsport driver are invited to put their skills to the test in an Infiniti Red Bull Racing Simulator that offers thrilling virtual racing in realistic computer-generated track conditions.

Furthermore, true fans will also get to test their skills in the Red Bull Racers mobile game challenge, and are encouraged to download the Red Bull Racers app from the iTunes App Store or from the Google Play store to practice before taking up the challenge onsite.

The event and mobile racing challenge is open to all members of the public while the big screen live broadcast can be enjoyed from one of the many cafes and restaurants surrounding Publika’s The Square.

In collaboration with Sepang International Circuit (SIC), the official SIC Zoomers will be present at the event to promote the 2015 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix. Race fans can take this opportunity to grab tickets at an exclusive 50% discount.

For more information, visit Red Bull Malaysia’s website or their Facebook page.

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#AirAsia: “Hoverboards” Are Prohibited On Flights Over Safety Concerns

The electronically motorised walking-replacement devices, or the so-called “hoverboards”, are surging in popularity as they begin to show up everywhere from city sidewalks to shopping malls to airports.

However, AirAsia has banned all hoverboards from being taken on their flights due to safety concerns. The ban took effect immediately after the airline issued a statement today (30th December).

AirAsia said in the statement that it would no longer allow the lithium battery-powered transportation devices on board of AirAsia and AirAsia X flights as check-in or hand-carry baggage. Other items that are banned include hoverboards, Segways, mini-Segways, electronic scooters, solowheels, airwheels, balance wheels, and similar equipment.

The airline also stated that battery-operated wheelchairs or mobility devices might be accepted on boards under certain circumstances, subject to removal of the battery by guests. They added that 85kg would be the maximum weight allowed for wheelchairs and mobility devices was 85kg.

AirAsia also encouraged guests travelling with battery-operated items to refer to the guideline available on its website.

AirAsia was among a handful of global airlines that had already banned hoverboards on flights. Other major airlines that impose similar restrictions on “self-balancing electric scooters” include Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Singapore Airlines, Tiger Airways, British Airways, Virgin America Airlines, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue Airline, Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and United Airlines.


Cinemas & Live Events Can Resume Operations Starting 1st July

Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced that cinemas and live events can resume operations starting 1st July.

According to Defence Minister in a live press conference earlier today (Monday, 22nd June), the premises involved must follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and regulations issued by the government.

Yeay, Pak Long @IsmailSabri60 dah memberikan kebenaran untuk panggung wayang beroperasi semula.

Jom ramai-ramai pergi tengok wayang tapi ingat jaga jarak sosial, okay!#NormalBaharu #DisiplinMalaysia mampu #HapusCOVID19 pic.twitter.com/apzfStEsef

“We have decided to allow cinemas and live events to resume operations starting 1st July but only in closed environments and halls. SOPs need to be tightly implemented. Additionally, the number of attendants cannot exceed 250 for now. But this also depends on how big the event or cinema hall is,” the minister was quoted as saying.

Datuk Ismail Sabri also highlighted that there should be a one-meter social distancing rule applied at all times. Not only that, the limit on the number of people allowed to attend the cinema will be subjected to the size of the enclosed venue. According to him, “The SOPs when entering the premise will remain in force.”

Watch the full clip of the press conference here:

Based on a survey by Cinema Online (findings from over 500 individuals), here’s what they gathered:

1. 81.1% of concerned movie-lovers in Malaysia want all cinemas to put in place SOPs that ensure ALL the following:

2. 74% of respondents say cinemas must sanitise their premises, counter tops, kiosks, tables, chairs as frequent as possible – prefer to have staff stationed at these posts, for assurance that it is seen done.

3. A whopping 85% demand that hall seats and door handles are sanitised after EVERY movie session.

4. A strong 81% prefer kiosk and online ticket purchases. However, they can consider counter purchases provided strict SOPs are in place.

5. 75% prefer to buy the concessions online and collect them at the counter rather than queue.

6. 72% will eat in the movie halls – even if it means removing their masks.

7. 59% are cool with 3D movies provided the 3D glasses are sanitised after every movie.

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AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes Plans To Bring BTS To Malaysia?

Malaysian ARMYs, brace yourself! There’s a huge chance that BTS may be bringing their Love Yourself World Tour to Malaysia next year.

AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes has hinted on his Instagram of a possible BTS concert after holding the 1st PSM (Malaysia Stadium Corporation) meeting that took place yesterday.

A post shared by Tony Fernandes (@tonyfernandes)

Tony said that he aimed to use the PSM facilities “to train talent, develop academies, make Malaysia a regional entertainment centre and maintain these great facilities well.” He then further mentioned, “I’m sure we are going to see a UFC fight with Khabib, a BTS concert soon and who knows even U2. Watch this space.”

His post has thrown Malaysian ARMYs into a frenzy with many begging him to make it a reality and not just a possibility. As you may know the popular K-pop group will be touring several Asian countries in 2019. Unfortunately, Malaysia wasn’t included in the line-up.

Fans are now hoping for some good news to come.

OMG YOU GUYS REALLY NEED TO SEE THIS POST BY TONY FERNANDES OH MY GOD!!!!!!! MALAYSIAN ARMYs WHERE YOU AT!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/tCqzMgqpFy

MALAYSIAN ARMYS THIS IS NOT A DRILL TONY FERNANDES CEO OF AIR ASIA COMPANY SAID THAT "BTS CONCERT SOON" HE EVEN TAGGED THEIR OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS IM CRYING THEY MIGHT COME HERE FOR LY TOUR PLEASE LET THIS BE A REALITY 😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/4olhrn0Vkz

What make fans even more excited is that Tony even tagged BTS’ official Instagram account, which means that he is totally serious about the concert.

Earlier in October, Tony had been showing interest in BTS, as he has promoted BTS face mask and he even took a photo of himself with BTS billboard.

Tony Fernandes really out there promoting BTS masks the simulation is glitching pic.twitter.com/PEyu13W9eV

— kimberly⁷ (@jhopesyouth) October 1, 2018

According to an insider, BTS’ concert will be held in Bukit Jalil National Stadium, but there’s a rumour saying that they maybe coming to Malaysia for a music festival instead of a full-fledge concert.

The details are scarce at this point, but if BTS really do come to Malaysia next year, it will be their 2nd visit to the country as they were previously here for BTS Live Trilogy in Malaysia Episode II. The Red Bullet in 2015.

So ARMYs, are y’all excited? Go work your magic and hopefully the powers-that-be will be see how serious we really want BTS here.


YGE: Global Clothing Line #NONA9ON + New Survival Program “MIX & MATCH”

From debuting a new boy group to introducing a global clothing line, it seems like YG Entertainment is ready to take a major leaps in the entertainment industry for the last quarter of the year!

K-Pop fandom is abuzz with excitement over what YG Entertainment might have in store for them ever since they posted 2 videos, titled “NONA90N #1” and “NONA9ON #2”.

It was reported that “NONA9ON” (pronounced: nonagon) is an upcoming global casual clothing brand created by YG Entertainment and Samsung Cheil Industry. The collaboration was announced earlier in April this year and is set to be launched on 9th September.

YG’s expansion into the fashion business was accelerated after French fashion house Louis Vuitton announced that they will invest up to USD80 million in YG Entertainment. It was reported that both companies are discussing opportunities for strategic partnership in the future. In fact, the luxury brand is in negotiations to acquire another $20 million of shares from the company to become YG’s second-largest shareholder, followed behind YG founder Yang Hyun-suk.

YG’s expansion into other business areas has shown their intention to become the leading entertainment company in the world.

For now, YG and Samsung Everland are planning to debut “NONA90N” under a joint-venture company called “Natural 9″. The latest teaser image hinted that BIGBANG’s Taeyang and 2NE1’s CL will be the first to unveil the clothing line.

As shown in the teaser image, it is assumed that the clothing line will be launched at 9:09AM on 9th September. It is unclear how the collection will look like but the company has made it clear that the brand image and concept is based on the street culture represented by hip hop.

Watch the teaser video for NONA90n featuring K-Pop idol boy group BIGBANG’s Taeyang and his fellow labelmate 2NE1 leader CL here:

The name “NONA9ON” symbolises diversity and infinite growth and the products are targeting young consumers around the world.

In other news, YGE and Mnet have confirmed that they will be airing their next survival program, “MIX & MATCH’,

Similar to “WHO IS NEXT: WIN”, the show will follow a total of 9 trainees including members of Team B and 3 other trainees who will participate in the battle program to debut as the agency’s next boy group. YG representatives stated that more details about the show will be revealed during a press conference at Conrad Seoul Hotel in Yeouido, hosted by BIGBANG’s Daesung and Yoo In Na on 2nd September. The program is expected to be aired on 11th September

Meanwhile, the artistes under the label including 2NE1, Epik High, BIGBANG, PSY, and WINNER are expected to perform at “YG Family 2014 GALAXY Tour: Power in Singapore” on 13th and 14th September.

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(Video) Take On The Pepsi ESCAPE Challenge At The World’s Longest Slide

Besides visiting Penang for its wide variety of food choices, tourists also look forward for its leisure. To pump up the excitement, Sim Leisure Group (SLG) has recently teamed up with Etika Sdn Bhd (“Etika”) to launch the Pepsi ESCAPE Challenge in ESCAPE Penang.

The challenge is super simple – gather your group of friends and aim to be the fastest team to barrel down The World’s Longest Slide at an accelerated pace. Participants will even get to carry an action camera that will livestream and record their clocked duration on an electronic leaderboard near the end-point of the ride.

But first, riders will have to take a chairlift up to starting point at an elevation of 70 metres. While going down the world’s longest tube water slide, participants will get to meander through the lush foliage amidst the forested area of ESCAPE Penang. Those with the fastest times during each daily competition will not only win prizes, but also be in the running in the ultimate Pepsi Adrenaline Experience.

“When we embarked on creating ESCAPE Penang, the objective was not to win records or awards, although all these are good byproducts. What we really wanted to do, however, was to create a truly different experience using a ‘low tech, high fun’ approach where fun is measured in ‘smiles per hour’. Today, the ESCAPE brand is one of the most pioneering developers of theme parks, answering the call from consumers for a different experience altogether. The ESCAPE concept strives to revive the re-discovery of childhood outdoor fun while promoting connection with nature,” said Mr. Sim Choo Kheng, Founder and Chief Executive of the Sim Leisure Group.

He added, “Since we opened the park, we have gone on to create new experiences for visitors to truly connect with nature. Among these include the recent opening of our Base Camp, where visitors can connect even more with the great outdoors under the stars – long after the park has closed.” Mr Sim was joined by YB Yeoh Soon Hin (Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy) and Cedric Koh Ei Leon (Senior Vice President of Sales at Etika Sdn Bhd) during the launch.

As aforementioned, ESCAPE Penang had previously introduced Base Camp, a two-acre camping site, that comes with shower facilities, a BBQ pit, and Wi-Fi access for an enjoyable night’s stay. Besides visiting this theme park for its 2019 Guinness World Record attraction, visitors can look forward to more fun activities in the next few months.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)


#EXO: Tao Reported To Have Terminated Contract; SM Denies

Kris was the leader of EXO-M, but he left the group in May 2014. His departure was then followed by another Chinese member, Luhan. Both of them filed lawsuits against SM Entertainment, citing invalid contract as the reasons for their departures. Tao and Lay were also rumoured to leave the group, but fans let out a sigh of relief when the rumours were proven to be false.

Just when EXO-Ls thought things were going well for the group, Chinese media outlet iQiyi reported that Tao will be the next to step out of EXO.

Tao, who is the youngest member in EXO-M, suffered a leg injury during the filming of SBS “Laws of the Jungle” in July 2014. This was then followed by his ankle injury on MBC “Idol Sports Athletic Championship” in February. His condition worsened during EXO’s “EXOluXion” concert in March, as multiple rehearsals and dance practice sessions took its toll on his injury. This forced him to opt out of the group’s “Growl” performance.

Tao is also unable to perform with his group for their current “Call Me Baby” promotions.

The artiste’s increasing Chinese activities also sparked speculations that he was gradually advancing his activities in China. Tao was featured on various Chinese variety shows, including “With You Down the Road” and “Ding Ge Long Ding Qiang”. His brief appearance in Chinese movie “He Yi Sheng Xiao Mo”, in addition to his recent close friendship with Chinese actor Huang Xiao Ming have further fuelled the rumours.

According to iQiyi, several insiders who have close connections with Tao have also confirmed his departure from the idol group.

He was also spotted having a meal with his parents in his hometown, Qingdao, and it’s widely believed that he took a break from his activities and is currently recuperating from his injuries there.

iQiyi connected all the dots and came up with the conclusion that Tao will be terminating his contract with SM Entertainment.

In regards to the rumour, SM Entertainment denied the report and released an official statement to Star News.

The Chinese media report from April 16 about EXO’s Tao canceling his contract (with SM) isn’t true.

Tao previously wrote a message lamenting Kris’ betrayal on Instagram when the ex-leader terminated his contract in a bid to further his career in China. This caused many fans to express doubt that Tao will leave, as his actions will be contradictory of his past Instagram post.

An Instagram direct message between Tao and one of his fan has also gained the spotlight, with Tao replying “Yes I won’t just believe in me“. However, some have questioned the validity of the screenshot, with fans nitpicking that the wide space between Tao’s username and his message looked odd. Fans also said that it is very unlikely for Tao to reply a message in English. The post has since been deleted.

Meanwhile, EXO-M’s Lay has been given the green light by SM Entertainment to increase his activities in China.

What do you think of the rumours? Will EXO be reduced to a 9-member boy group? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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Calling All “Team Wolf”

Beautiful in flesh and skillful on the decks, DJ Wolfram will be in Kuala Lumpur Bedroom to charm and charge up the night with his mix of the finest dance music.

DJ Wolfram, born Wolfram “Marflow” Eckert hails from a small no name town in Austria. He always knew that he had extraordinary intelligence when it came to music. Formerly known as “Diskokaine“, he is indeed a music enthusiast that has made a name in the club scene in the past seven years. Wolfram is a music junkie that has since matured, released a debut album, tours the world, and continues to make headlines in clubs.

Eccentric, offbeat, tangled messed-up hair look with a combination of smouldering sex appeal are just the few things that would make girls swoon when it comes to this wolf. DJ Wolfram has shared the stage with Moby and produced with artists like Hercules & Love Affair and Legowelt, who also has worked on his album.

With “The Wolf” on the decks, KL clubbers can anticipate a night of astounding euro sounds, a mix of creative perfection and rhythmic bliss that will resurrect the KL nightlife.

Supporting acts: Alex Asquared, Xes Xes Loveseat

For more information, visit Bedroom’s website.


Interview: Oliver Moy On Meeting Steve Aoki, His Passion For Music & NSB’s Debut Album

What started as a dream has become a reality now that North Star Boys cemented themselves as the group to watch. Founded by brothers Sebastian and Oliver Moy, the group also includes Regie Macalino, Ryan Nguyen, Justin Phan, Darren Liang, and Kane Ratan.

Fun fact: It was actually Sebastian and Oliver’s mom who inspired the group name North Star Boys. “My mother is a big inspiration in my life. Growing up, she always told Sebastian and I, ‘Follow your North Star.’ It means find out where you want to be in the future and then work backwards (from there),” he previously told YSB Now.

During our virtual chat with Oliver Moy, the talented 21-year-old talked about his passion for creating music that mean something. He also delved into the process of music-making, getting to meet American DJ and record produce Steve Aoki, as well as what Stars (as fans are lovingly called) can expect from their debut album.

1. For the Malaysian audience who are not so familiar with you and NSB, could you tell us about who you are and what do you do?

I am Oliver Moy. My passion is music. I started and founded North Star Boys with my brother Sebastian Moy. This was about 10 months ago and ever since it’s been a journey, to say the least.

2. At what point did you notice your following had started to blow up?

I would say like a year into social media. That’s when things started picking up. I’ve been on social media for about, I think I’m entering six years now. Posting consistently and it’s been a lot of fun. I myself have about close to 12 million followers across all platforms and the group for NSB has over 45 million followers.

3. We’ve noticed that you guys have really passionate, strong Pinoy fans. Is the group largely made up of a few South EastAsian ethnicities?

Yes, correct, actually. North Star Boys are an Asian American content group. So our backgrounds vary from many different places. A little bit about myself, I’m half Colombian and half Chinese and some of the members in the group are Filipino and Chinese, and it really does vary from different areas. And yeah, I love the Pinoy Stars so much.

4. Speaking of music, we understand that you and NSB are currently working on releasing your first album. Could you tell us more on that?

So, in the past 10 months, I’ve recorded over 150 songs and a lot of the songs I’ve recorded with the members of North Star Boys. So we are getting ready to release our debut album in the upcoming months alongside a debut EP which is coming very shortly. And alongside, our debut single is dropping within the next two, three weeks. So, a lot of things to be excited for.

Yes, I produce, engineer and songwrite. I actually record right here in my bedroom.

5. Is this your first time recording and producing your first record and how is that process like?

No, I’ve produced and engineered many records and wrote a lot of songs. We are releasing the songs that we feel is a part of the story. Not just the story for our music, but also the story for NSB as a whole. It has sounds from the genres of hyper pop, alternative rock and pop and we’re we’re taking all of our favorite sounds and the things that we love to listen to on a daily basis and we’re putting it together in our projects to make it as close to us as possible so that when we release music for our Stars, our fans, they can really feel us through our music.

We’re dropping a single called “Sunshine”. It’s going alongside with a music video as well, dropping on the same day. That song is very special to me because the music video and the song resembles what drives you. You know, a lot of things drive us. For myself, what drives me and what motivates me are the members and the team that we have here at North Star Boys because I’m very passionate about NSB. And I want to see each individual here grow as a person and grow in their careers. So that is my sunshine. Now, all of the other members, they have their own definition of what their sunshine is. So, I’m more than excited to share this piece of music with the world because this is what we’ve been working on for the past 10 months, and we’ve been working on it every single night.

7. You mentioned about writing over 150 songs. Was it hard to nail it down to a few selected songs for the EP and was it hard to cut some songs out?

Very much. Yes, there’s a lot of songs that I’m working on recently, like in the past two, three days, that I’ve fallen deeply in love with but I know that I cannot release that alongside the upcoming projects, because it’s not the same vibe and whatnot. It’s not the same feeling and sounds. So I plan on releasing those songs later on in the future. But the songs that we’re about to release, it took us like 10 minutes to write the songs and like a couple hours to produce and engineer everything. Because when we write, it’s not like we go into a room and we have a pen and paper and we write. We pretty much just freestyle into the mic and that’s how we get our emotions from what we’re thinking into the computer to record. It’s a very fascinating way to record and I think it’s very raw.

8. How many songs are we expecting for the first record?

We want to do seven songs for our first project—our first debut EP—but we might throw in one special song as the eighth song, but we’re not too sure yet. And I guess we’ll just have to see.

9. The acoustic version for “You Are My Star” was really good. Is that also the kind of vibe that we can expect from your new music or is it going to be a different direction?

If you enjoy the acoustic “You Are My Star” cover, then there’s going to be a song inside the EP that you are going to love. It has a very similar raw vibe to it and it definitely came from our hearts so yes, you can expect that in the EP.

10. We also noticed on your socials that you’ve met some pretty huge Hollywood celebrities. What were some of the interactions or celebs encounters that stood out to you?

Are you familiar with Steve Aoki? It was really cool meeting him. He invited me over to an event that he was hosting. It was about NFT’s and all kinds of different trading cards—Pokémon, baseball cards, basketball courts cards—and I was able to meet him that way. We were talking about music. We were talking about North Star Boys and some things that he’s working on. Yeah, meeting Steve Aoki was a really cool thing. There’s a lot of other people that I would love to meet in the future that I actually look up to. One of them being BTS. We’re really fond of BTS and we love what they do. So it would be really cool to meet them one day.

11. Did Steve Aoki give you any advice on how to put out new music?

Not much advice on putting out music, it was more so talking about genres of music. He’s into EDM and he’s also a DJ. So we were talking about a little bit of that and now sharing with him the direction that I want to take when it comes to music because my biggest goal when releasing music is to create something new. I want to create sounds that people are not too familiar with because I want to innovate. I don’t want to just create music that is replicating what is already out there. That’s why we’re mashing a couple of genres together such as alternative rock and hyper pop and pop music and a lot of the sounds that people are familiar with, but also giving it a nice NSB twist to it.

12. NSB represents a large group of Asians. We were wondering if you guys would incorporate your native languages into your music. Has that been in the discussions?

Yes, the group NSB consists of seven members. I’m the leader of NSB. We have recorded a lot of songs where there’s Spanish involved, Chinese and Tagalog from the Philippines. So yes, we do plan on releasing music outside of the English language.

13. One thing that we really liked about the content you put up, especially on TikTok is that you like to be silly and funny and how you entertain your fans. Does that come naturally or do you usually have to plan that out?

When it comes to TikTok, we just have fun with it. It’s nice to put a good plan and structure in what you do. I am a strong believer of that. But at the same time, I believe that the best content comes from when you’re just simply having fun. When it comes to the members of NSB, I encourage them to create content that they enjoy making. As long as you’re having fun doing it, then that’s really all that matters.

14. Is there anything else you would like to highlight?

I want to say a message to the Malaysian Stars. I want to say that I love you very much and we will be going to Malaysia soon. It may not be this year, but I’m going to be trying my hardest to make sure that NSB visits Malaysia so that we can perform, do a couple of shows and be able to see the Stars in Malaysia face-to-face. That’s the goal.

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Netflix’s To All The Boys: Always And Forever Review – Please Never Again

Whether you care to admit or not, we’re all somewhat molded by our angst-ridden high school days. Films based on that period tend to catch a bad rep. Viewed as being either  juvenile, vapid or deeply melodramatic. Okay, most of them are, but there are the rare exceptions to the rule. The heightened reality of the genre allows for outrageous comedies via “Superbad” or “Booksmart”. There’s even a handful that become high art, looking at you, “Dazed and Confused”. Then there’s Netflix’s “To All The Boys” film series that simultaneously affirms everything we loathe about the genre with just enough charm to keep us on the fence.

We’ve followed Lara Jean’s journey from emotionally constipated single to insecure lover in “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You”. Throughout each instalment, we never quite knew how to feel about the film series. Reserving our judgment until we see Lara Jean’s character arc fully developed. Alas, it comes to this. The final instalment of the trilogy, “To All The Boys: Always and Forever”. Or as we prefer to call it “To All The Boys: Montage Edition”.

After taking a long break with her family in Korea, Lara Jean is about to embark on one of the most important journeys of her entire life. She’s about to graduate high school and is heading for college. More than anything, she wishes to join her lover, Peter in Stanford University. Predictably, things don’t go her way. During a trip to New York, she begins to envision a future for herself in New York University (NYU). A place she feels she can grow and flourish…but will she grow apart from Peter as well? Could this crossroad tear our two lovers apart? It’s time to see if Lara’s love for Peter truly is forever.

Look, we’re not even going to try to keep up the pretense. Any moron well acquainted with Netflix’s “Kissing Booth” films can guess the plot beats a mile away. The problem with the film isn’t its predictability. We’ve made peace with the fact that this trilogy isn’t trying to change the game. No, we take umbrage with the film’s plot being so damn thin! In the first two films, the conflict can be traced to the classic love triangle formula, and it works for the most part. “Always and Forever” doesn’t have a cliche plot because there is no goddamn plot! It’s basically Lara traveling around to different locations before having obligatory plot dialogue. There’s no real conflict, tension or build-up.

Oh and the montages…why are there so many montages?! The worst part is that they’re the best parts of the film. They have more personality and fun than any of the characters in the film. Beyond the drama of Lara’s college decision, there’s a half-assed subplot about Peter’s father trying to reconnect with him. That could have been interesting but no, that leads to nowhere. Lara’s younger sister has a long distance relationship with a Korean boy which, you guessed it, leads to nothing. It’s baffling why the film would try to introduce all these new subplots only to never resolve them. This proves doubly problematic when you consider that this is supposed to be the finale.

Not even Lana Condor’s performance could save this script. Condor does bring a certain bubbly charm to the character of Lara. At this point, we couldn’t picture the franchise without her or the hunky Noah Centineo as Peter Kavinsky. In the past, we saw Lara overcome her fears and insecurities in her relationship with Peter. The majority of the films is dedicated to Lara’s romantic and personal growth. So to have Lara consider whether she’s outgrown Peter as her rock makes thematic sense.

There’s a lot of potential for a compelling narrative there. Which is why it’s such a shame that the film never bothers to flesh out her motivations or desires. It’s too busy cramming in lesser subplots and montages to create actual stakes. What should be a major inner battle turns into a minor inconvenience.

Noah Centineo plays basically the same character in every high school film. He’s the nice guy jock looking for true love, and he does it well. In a sense, he’s the source of conflict in the film. The plot tries to tie his attachment to Lara with his abandonment issues stemming from his father to create more depth for the character. Ultimately, they never really follow up on it.  We would have loved to see some growth for our boy Peter as well.

In spite of the plot conspiring to ruin this film, we can’t deny that Centineo and Condor have excellent on-screen chemistry. From their cutesy banter to their sickeningly sweet couple bits, they have endeared themselves to us. After two films of seeing them trying to make it work, you can’t help but feel attached to the duo.

If anything good has come from this paper-thin dumpster fire of a film, the audience is left with a sense of continuity. That their stories will continue on beyond this final chapter. Beyond the couple, the supporting cast leave much to be desired. They either exist to provide sage advice or egg Lara in choosing a side. Not even her sister Kitty, who is the catalyst of this entire trilogy, gets any meaningful development.

“To All the Boys: Always and Forever” is a meandering chore for newcomers and a giant slap to the face for fans. A pathetic finale with no real emotional stakes and no meaningful character growth. The only consolation is that we get to imagine better stories for Lara and Peter when all is said and done.

Needless to say, we were utterly disappointed with the film. “Always and Forever” could have been a fun, cheesy send-off about how love should never come at the cost of your own personal flourishing. Instead, it’s as paper thin as the letters Lara wrote on. You can now catch “To All the Boys: Always and Forever” on Netflix today.

So how did you feel about the finale to Netflix’s “To All the Boys” trilogy? Were you as disappointed as we were? What’s your favourite moment from the franchise? Be sure to let us know in the comments down below!


#Fuel: Petrol & Diesel Prices Expected To Increase Over Next Few Months

Malaysians have witnessed the frequent rise of petrol prices in recent years, with each increase digging deeper into our pockets. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like this increase will end anytime soon.

Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh (星洲日报) cited Datuk Chua Tia Guan, an expert on the issue, who predicted that petrol and diesel prices will only head upward over the next 2 to 3 months. He explained that the 2 main culprits behind this are the increase of raw crude oil price and the ringgit’s weakening performance against the US dollar.

Chua, who is the head of tax and financial consulting at The Great Vision Advisory Group, said, “The government fixes the retail price for petrol and diesel with a managed float system based on the average monthly price of crude oil, and raw crude is priced in US dollars. Therefore I advise consumers to be prepared to face an even more challenging period over the next 2 or 3 months.”

Just days ago (31st January, Tuesday), it was reported that petrol and diesel prices have increased by 20 and 10 cents respectively. RON95 is currently priced at RM2.30 per litre (up 20 cents from RM2.10 per litre) and RON97 at RM2.60 per litre (up 20 cents from RM2.40 per litre). The price for diesel has also been adjusted to RM2.25 per litre (up 10 cents from RM2.15 per litre).

Following accusations and complaints that fuel prices were being increased without basis, Barisan Nasional’s strategic communications team explained that this was due to the unusually high amount of refineries around the world shutting down from fires and for major maintenance work. This reduced supply and increased the demand for petrol, thus the higher prices.

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Young Avengers: Assembling Marvel’s Next Super Squad

Disney held its Investor Day recently, announcing a ton with regard to its various intellectual properties like Marvel and Star Wars. It was indeed a sight to wake up to as we got our first good looks at “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”, “What If?”, and “Loki”, all of which are set to debut next year. Besides, a number of castings were confirmed, some of which were surprises.

However, we couldn’t help but notice several younger names which strengthened the notion of Marvel Studios intending to bring the Young Avengers concept to the MCU. Some of these characters will be making their debuts on the small screen, presumably with the intention of crossing over to the big screen. So, who knows? We could be getting our little league of Avengers ready by the end of next year.

Now, the Young Avengers was first conceptualised in 2005 by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, bringing together a group of remarkable children after the original Avengers disassembled. Unlike another young, powered ensemble from the comics, the Young Avengers performed hero work because they felt a duty to do so. It wasn’t spawned from a need to run away from villainous parents.

While it remains to be seen as to what might probably spur these young heroes to assemble within the live-action universe, we can take a peek at their backstories, powers, and what make these individuals so special.

“So, Cassie… What do you wanna be when you grow up?”
“I wanna help people. Like my dad.”

Cassandra Lang is the most established character on this list as she first appeared in 2015’s “Ant-Man”. The young sassy daughter of Scott and Maggie Lang was only 8 years old when she appeared on screen, played by an adorable Abby Ryder Fortson. With an appreciation of ferociously ugly bunny dolls and ants the size of dogs, Cassie displayed an astonishing sense of irreverent wonder and bravery.

Fortson reprised her role in 2018’s “Ant-Man and The Wasp”, coming to the aid of her dad in one of the film’s most dire moments. She also suggested to Scott Lang that he needed a partner. And no, it wasn’t Hope that she was talking about. She was expressing her desire to be a hero, just like her dad!

In “Avengers: Endgame”, there was a brief but major update to Cassie. Scott Lang had just returned from the Quantum Realm after being stuck in there for 5 hours. Nevertheless, time works in mysterious ways within the dimension. To his shock and utter dismay, he found out that 5 years had passed and the world was in disarray due to Thanos’ actions after returning to the normal world. Of course, he sprinted back to his old house in hopes that his daughter had not turned into dust. His fears were allayed as Scott found out that Cassie was not only alive and well, but was also a teenage girl played by Emma Fuhrmann.

Now, in the comics, Cassie also looked up to her father, constantly adoring his gig. However, when her father was killed by the Scarlet Witch during the Avengers Disassembled storyline, she seeks out the Young Avengers, revealing that she too was a powered individual. She confessed that she had been stealing Pym Particles from her father for years without any notable side effects but later developed shrinking and growing abilities. Cassie later adopts the superhero moniker, Stature, to become the Ant-Man counterpart within the young team.

In early issues of the Young Avengers, Cassie’s powers were fuelled by her emotions. When she got angry, she grew (kinda like another jolly green behemoth). When guilty, she shrank. Her powers acted as emotional extensions, helping her to cope better with certain situations.

One of Marvel’s major reveals during Investor Day was that a new actress will take on the role of Cassie Lang for the third film in the “Ant-Man” franchise. Kathyrn Newton (“Detective Pikachu”) will be stepping into the brief teenage role held by Fuhrmann and also seemingly confirmed via an Instagram post that she will be taking on the moniker of Stature. With that, it seems Ant-fam is about to get bigger.

Now, Wanda. Vision. If you think about it, it’s unholy matrimony. The duo began flirting during “Captain America: Civil War” and it developed into a full-fledged relationship in “Avengers: Infinity War”. Nonetheless, tragedy struck when the Vision sacrificed himself to ensure that Thanos did not obtain the Mind Stone. It was to no avail as Thanos immediately reversed time and plucked out the stone from Vision’s forehead like a cherry.

The upcoming Disney+ series, “WandaVision” aims to explore Wanda’s emotions after that devastating finale and it currently is a mystery as to how Vision will be returning in the series although we do have an idea how.

However, what might intrigue many is that a number of shots in the trailers suggest that Wanda and Vision will have children. And they’re not ordinary younglings.

Indeed, there is evidence that alludes to such powered children entering the fray. Pacifiers float around the house. Baby mobiles magically flutter into butterflies. So, what exactly are we dealing with here?

If we are to take a look at the source material, Wanda and Vision did raise two children, Billy and Tommy, on their own. BUT, how they were conceived wasn’t exactly natural. You see, the two boys were actually magically constructed using shards of the demon Mephisto’s life essence. Of course, this was a recipe for disaster as the two kids disappeared when Mephisto reabsorbed those slivers of his essence back into his being.

The disappearance of both boys drove Wanda insane. This eventually led up to the House of M incident, where she uttered those three words that would rock Marvel’s universe: No. More. Mutants. While that is a whole other story in itself, one that “WandaVision” could be taking cues from, we’re here to talk about Speed and Wiccan.

Not long after the House of M incident, the two boys were reincarnated as teenagers Tommy Shepherd and Billy Kaplan in the pages of the Young Avengers. They both derived their abilities from their uncle and mother respectively. As Speed’s name suggests, he is a lightning-fast individual. On the other hand, Wiccan relies on spells, magic and even takes a tinge of reality for himself.

We’ll be getting our first glimpses at the twin brothers as soon as next month when “WandaVision” finally drops on Disney+. Until then, we can only hope that they do not disappear from the loving arms of their parents, or the results could be… maddening.

Riri Williams is a 15-year-old genius inventor who managed to reverse engineer Tony Stark’s outdated armour to create her own suit of armour. Like Stark, she was accepted into M.I.T. at the tender age of fifteen but faced her own tragedy when her only friend, Natalie, and step-father were killed in a horrifying shootout. As such, she took it upon herself to create her own prototype suit out of materials from her campus, eventually adopting the name Ironheart. Like the Iron Man suit, Ironheart has its own AI, named in honour of her best friend after it took on a grown-up version of her.

Ironheart is definitely the newest character on this list as she only made her debut in printed form in 2016. Marvel Studios kind of has a blank slate on this one and could probably improve upon her comic-book counterpart in several ways.

It was announced during Investor Day that actress Dominique Thorne will be portraying Riri Williams in her own Disney+ series.

America Chavez is a Fuertona Starling who was born and raised by her mothers in a dimension called the Utopian Parallel. Her powers were derived from a being within that universe called the Demiurge. Nevertheless, America lost her mothers when they sacrificed themselves to save the Utopian Parallel.

Adopting the name Ms America, she abandoned her homeworld, joining several teams such as the Teen Brigade, A-Force, Young Avengers, and the West Coast Avengers. The character also identifies as a lesbian, dating nurse Lisa Halloran.

America Chavez has a unique skillset whereby she can open star-shaped portals through the multiverse. She can punch holes into other realities and fly at lightspeed. Chavez also possesses a dangerous ability to make her enemies burst into tiny fragments with just a punch. Her most lethal attack is a Star Blast, capable of incapacitating even the strongest of heroes or villains alike. America also can travel through time but requires a great deal of focus to do so.

The character has been announced to debut in “Doctor Strange and The Multiverse of Madness” played by Xochitl Gomez. Considering her dimension punching abilities, she seems to be a solid fit for the film’s mad premise and would be a great addition to a Young Avengers lineup.

While not the first Muslim superhero in Marvel Comics, Kamala Khan made headlines back in 2014 when she became the first Muslim superhero to star in her own series. The character itself actually debuted on the pages of Captain Marvel #14 as a bystander who witnesses Carol Danvers protecting the public from the evil Yon-Rogg.

Kamala Khan developed powers during the Inhumanity arc whereby a large number of people were exposed to the Terrigen mists, thus unlocking Kree genes that were been dormant within them the whole time. Kamala soon gained the ability to stretch her limbs, alter her shape, and shapeshift. Hmm, we wonder what another member of the Fantastic Four will say when he eventually enters the MCU…

Ms Marvel was last seen in the Square Enix Avengers game in which she plays an integral part. In that narrative, the Avengers had disbanded, and Kamala attempted to get the group back together again after making some discoveries of her own.

Khan will be portrayed by 16-year-old newcomer, Iman Vellani, in an original series exclusive to Disney+. As seen in a sizzle reel for the upcoming series, Kamala Khan has a bunch of Captain Marvel posters in her room and as such, we can deduce that she is a big fan of the cosmic superhero. As imitation is the best form of flattery, Khan might probably see herself fit to adopt a name that was similar to her idol’s.

It remains to be seen whether Marvel Studios intends to keep her origin story intact by making her an Inhuman. It would be interesting to see whether her backstory will be tweaked as the Inhumans are technically not in the MCU as of now. The only remnants of such was a cancelled movie that was supposed to be released last year and an ill-fated ABC series.

Regardless, Ms Marvel is aiming for the stars as the character will star alongside Monica Rambeau and Carol Danvers in 2022’s Captain Marvel sequel directed by Candyman helmer Nia DaCosta.

Katherine Bishop was introduced in the pages of Young Avengers #1 back in 2005. A phenomenal archer just like Clint Barton, Kate’s first appearance was a humble but explosive one. Starting off as a civilian, Kate was at her sister’s wedding when five gunmen entered the scene to take the party hostage. The Young Avengers dropped in but only made matters worse when they inadvertently started a fire and became hostages themselves. Thanks to Kate’s wit and skills, which at the time were unknown to the public, the team barely escaped from the situation.

A tough, independent soul whose drive stems out of her own will, Kate has displayed exemplary cool in tough situations. Her initial run-in with the Young Avengers led her and Cassie Lang to track the group down on their own, subsequently inviting themselves into the team. She later accepted the moniker of Hawkeye as her own due to Clint having been killed prior.

Kate is an exceptional martial artist, proficient in boxing and jiu-jitsu. She also bears two battle staves similar to Mockingbird and also can fight with a sword. Of course, she’s one of the best archers alongside her mentor (when he returned to the 616-canon), using her bow and arrow as if they were extensions of her limbs.

“Bumblebee” and “True Grit” star Hailee Steinfeld will be taking aim as the character in the Disney+ “Hawkeye” series. She will be starring alongside Jeremy Renner, who will be reprising his role as Clint Barton, and Vera Farmiga who will be playing Kate’s mother. Oh, and there’s a canine called Lucky the Pizza Dog as well. Guess we’ll be getting some…

The other big reveal for “Ant-Man Quantumania” was that Kang The Conqueror was in the film and that he will be played by “Lovecraft Country” star, Jonathan Majors. So, what has that got to do Iron Lad?

You see, Kang is a time-travelling entity. His presence is sprawled across time itself and as a result, he assumes multiple identities across multiple timelines. Nathaniel Richards, a 31st-century scholar discovered time travel technology and used it to travel back to Ancient Egypt, assuming the role of Rama-Tut. His timey-wimey shenanigans led to various run-ins with the Avengers but also other identities such as the Scarlet Centurion and Immortus, to name a few.

However, one notable identity that Kang has gone by is Iron Lad, who is, in essence, a teenage Nathaniel Richards from another timeline. After Kang goes back in time to save this particular teen from a group of bullies that would otherwise leave him in the hospital for months, Kang tells his younger self everything that would happen. He wishes that the younger Richards would be able to hasten his transformation into Kang much more quickly. Nevertheless, Lil Richards is shaken by this revelation and resolves to form a new group of Avengers in the event that the original team was no longer there.

Confused much? That’s Kang shenanigans for you.

Contrary to popular belief, Iron Lad is in no way related to Tony Stark. Except for a plagiarisation of the Iron Man brand, Iron Lad’s heritage is purely Kang’s and Kang’s alone. His armour is also neurotically connected to Nathaniel, so it can alter its appearance at his whims.

This one is a long-shot for sure, but you know the drill… never say never.

The upcoming “Loki” series will place the spotlight on the god of mischief and his misdeeds through time. Acting as an agent for the Time Variance Authority, Loki will seemingly revisit various alternate timelines and even suit up as the enigmatic D.B. Cooper.

Nonetheless, it has also been confirmed that other versions of Loki will make their debuts in the series. The female version of Loki has already been confirmed to be played by Sophia Di Martino but there have also been rumours that suggest Kid Loki might debut in the series as well.

In the comics, Kid Loki was a reincarnation of the original Loki who had died in the Siege of Asgard. He had little to no memory of his past, with slivers of the crimes from his past life haunting his nightmares. Thor eventually restores a part of his memory and brings him to Asgard.

Kid Loki in the MCU might probably be a one-off thing, but if that concept were to remain, there could very well be one of the new Young Avengers on the block.

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#LeeChongWei: National Shuttler Reveals 2016 Plans; Considers Retirement

In a report by The Star, national shuttler Dato’ Lee Chong Wei revealed that he is cutting down on the tournaments before the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.

The world No. 4 also told the English-language daily that the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) should expose the younger shuttlers at the Thomas Cup qualifiers in Hyderabad, India, from 15th to 21st February 2016.

I’m all for it if BAM want to field the youngsters. But if they need me, I will play. I’ll leave it up to BAM.

According to The Star, the Thomas Cup Finals will be held in Kunshan, China, from 15th to 22nd May and only the top 12 teams from the qualifying tournament can participate in it.

Having won a silver medal at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, Chong Wei said that he will not be playing in the China and Indonesia leagues as he wants to focus on winning gold in Rio de Janeiro.

I’m not playing in the China League this month … it will require me to be there for more than one month. It will be too taxing on me as my priority is the Rio Olympics.

“I will start the season next year by playing in the Malaysian Masters (from Jan 19-24) in my hometown Penang. I’m looking forward to it,” he told The Star. “Then, I will compete in the All-England (in March). I’ve not decided whether to go for the German and Swiss Opens. I’ll play in the Malaysian Open (in April) for sure. There will be one or 2 more tournaments after that,” he added.

The 33-year-old also admitted that he was considering retiring after the 2016 Olympics. As the 2017 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games will be held in Kuala Lumpur, he opted to keep playing until he wins gold at the next SEA Games.

I was thinking of ending my career after my last Olympic Games in Rio. But I’ve been asked to stay on at least until the next SEA Games.

“I’ve not won the SEA Games singles gold … this will be my last shot,” he added.

Earlier in November, Chong Wei won the China Open by defeating Chen Long of China 21-15 and 21-11 in the final. He also triumphed at the French and Hong Kong Opens following a dismal run of form, which saw him making early exits at the Japan, Korea, and Denmark Opens.

Regarding his recent success, Chong Wei credited national coaches Hendrawan and Tey Seu Bock for “helping him break into the top 10 on the world rankings once again”.

I was initially uncomfortable with Hendrawan’s style of coaching. It was tough.

“But my game has changed … I have more variety in my game now and that was evident in my recent victories. I’m grateful to (coach) Tey Seu Bock and all the other coaches who assisted me earlier. Now, I hope to follow Hendrawan’s plan and programme until the Olympic Games,” he added.

Sources: The Star Online, Fox Sports Asia.


#007: Tom Hiddleston Wants To Play James Bond

There has been a lot of chatter about which actor will make the next best James Bond, should Daniel Craig choose to retire from the iconic role. Although film producers are still hoping for Craig to return for the forthcoming “Bond 25” one last time, all the signs suggest that Craig’s spy days are over.

While much of the world’s speculation has centred on Idris Elba for the role, Tom Hiddleston is throwing his hat into the ring, further stirring Bond rumours thanks to his lead role in John Le Carre’s spy thriller, “The Night Manager”. In the TV miniseries, Hiddleston plays an undercover agent trying gain access into the inner circle of a major international arms dealer.

Hiddleston told Britain’s The Sunday Times that he’s a huge fan of the Bond franchise, revealing that he took time off to watch “Spectre” in the cinema while shooting “Kong: Skull Island”. “I simply love the theme tune, the tropes and the mythology. I love the whole thing. If it ever came knocking, it would be an extraordinary opportunity. And I’m very aware of the physicality of the job. I would not take it lightly,” he said.

That is essentially an actor’s code for “Pick me!” in the selection process.

To echo Jessica Lachenal’s words, “being asked to play Bond is a lot like being invited to join a secret society. There’s something super special about it, but you can’t appear too eager, lest they deem you uncool enough for the role or something. It is, after all, a very special club.”

If the rumours are true, then Hiddleston might have landed himself on the shortlist to take over Craig. Having said that, several bookmaking outlets still believe that the actor trails behind hot favourites Tom Hardy, followed by Elba, Damian Lewis, Aiden Turner, and Henry Cavill.

Craig had previously quipped that he’d rather “slash my wrist” than star in another Bond film. He later backtracked, saying that he simply needed a break and would keep going for “as long as I’m physically able.”

Sources: The Mary Sue, The Hollywood Reporter, Screen Rant.

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PSA: Don’t Fall Victim To School Bullying!

A one-minute-and-32-second-long video of several secondary school boys beating up one of their schoolmates has gone viral on Facebook.

The video starts with a group of students crowding around the camera in a classroom, happily posing for a picture. The footage then gets abruptly cut before starting up again to show one of the students kicking and punching another student, who still had his bag with him.

It would go on for about 20 seconds before other boys joined in the attack although other students are heard shouting, “Dahlah, dahlah!” (“Enough, enough!”) in the background.

Towards the end of the video, the bully was seen smiling directly into the camera, as if extremely pleased with what he had done.

As of time of writing, the video has been shared more than 8,000 times since it was first posted on the PDRM Facebook page.

We’d like to remind kids to please seek help from teachers or adults, or better yet flag your parents if you’re a victim of school bullying. It’s a serious issue and people can get really, really hurt. Things like this shouldn’t happen – not to you, not to anybody. Especially not in school.


#FantasticBeasts2: Zoe Kravitz Teases Newt & Leta Lestrange’s “Complex Relationship”

If you found yourself scratching your head wondering where you missed Zoe Kravitz in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, you’re not alone. Although her character, Leta Lestrange, was mentioned in the film, all we see is a photo of her among Newt Scamander’s possessions.

Leta and Newt were once close friends during their time as students in Hogwarts but the details to their fall out wasn’t revealed. Her addition was relatively small in the first film, but fans can expect to see more of Leta in the upcoming sequels.

In speaking with Collider while promoting her HBO TV series “Big Little Lies”, Kravitz confirmed that she will be playing a larger role in the upcoming sequels but is still unsure exactly how it’ll play out. “I think there’s a few ahead. The relationship between Leta and Newt Scamander is a complex relationship, so I think there will be a lot of time for that to grow and develop, which will be fun,” she told the publication.

“I know nothing! I have an idea, based off of when I auditioned, but I know nothing. Even when I went to go do my chemistry read with Eddie Redmayne, he was trying to help me piece together what was happening in the scene that we were reading. He doesn’t get to see anything either, so he was like, ‘I think based off of this line and this line, and what we shot here and here, this is what’s going on.’ We had to guess. It was funny to watch him, trying to piece it all together,” the 28-year-old actress continued.

When asked if production for “Fantastic Beasts 2” has already started, Kravitz explained, “No, that starts in June or July, I think. It’s sometime in the summer. I’m very excited. The one day I was on set for that, and also for my audition process, being able to work with Eddie Redmayne and David Yates was incredible.”

She added, “The script was very under wraps, so even signing onto it, I hadn’t read the script. I just went off of who was involved, and J.K. Rowling and the ‘Harry Potter’ films, so I knew it was going to be incredible, especially with how involved J.K. is. And then, I got to see the film, after I was already signed on, and it exceeded my expectations. That was a really interesting experience, to sit back and watch a movie that you loved, and then get to walk out and say, ‘I get to be in that!’ It’s a very cool thing.”

As Potterheads already suspect, Leta is a relative of Bellatrix Lestrange (who was one of Voldemort’s most loyal allies). So what happens to Leta in the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise is bound to echo through the entire Lestrange clan.

“Fantastic Beasts 2” is expected to hit theatres on 16th November 2018.


The Script Sues James Arthur For Copyright Infringement Over Hit Single

Remember what happened over “Blurred Lines” a few years back? A similar law suit was recently issued and it involves The Script and James Arthur.

The Irish band – which comprises Daniel O’Donoghue, Mark Sheehan, Andrew Frampton and Stephen Kipner – claims that the 2016 X-Factor UK winner’s comeback single “Say You Won’t Go” is a rip off from their 2008 single “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved”.

Richard Busch, who previously represented Marvin Gaye’s estate in filing a lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams, is representing The Script. According to Billboard, both “Say You Won’t Let Go” and “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” share the same 4/4 meter, have a similar tempo, four-bar guitar introduction and use similar vocal melodies as well as harmonic structures.

“It’s widely known Mr. Arthur was dropped by his record label for public controversies, which caused a break in his career. It wasn’t until the release of ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ that he achieved worldwide success,” the attorney said in a statement.

Arthur had allegedly approach frontman O’Donoghue on a possibility of collaborating together. His request was apparently denied. Busch claims that Arthur then proceeded to copy “the essence” of “The Man Who Can Not Be Moved”.

Arthur previously denied the claim. When the issue was brought up last year, the singer replied, “It’s 2017, there’s only 7 notes in music. Every blues song sounds the f**king same. People get a bit wound up about these things for no reason.”

The Script is seeking “statutory damages over the track, as well as an accounting of all streaming, distribution, publishing and touring revenue”.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Jack Ü featuring Kiesza – Take Ü There

Diplo and Skrillex get trippy and animated with new music video.

Sick of the same old music videos that try to force in as much weirdness as possible in a four-minute span? Well, brace yourself as Jack Ü has taken things to new heights with a dazzling new video accompaniment for their single “Take Ü There”. Trust us when we say that this is not your typical school project music video either.

Directed by Kyle dePinna, Dillon Moore and Daniel Streit, the video for “Take Ü There”, does not only showcase Diplo and Skrillex‘s wild and highly energetic live performances together as Jack Ü, it’s also a huge #TBT (Throwback Thursday) that features a bunch of footage from live “Take Ü There” performances from this summer, during the Mad Decent Block Party Tour.

Besides footages of Jack Ü’s live performances, the video also features animations flying left and right, along with superimposed Ü’s everywhere. Honestly, it’s impossible to not be entertained with such impressive production value. Watch the video below and keep a look out for Skrillex doing something super cool at 3:13 − you won’t regret it.


“The Most Hated Man On The Internet” Review: The Rise And Fall Of The Revenge Porn King

Everybody’s got skeletons in their closets. An embarassing picture from high school or maybe a not-so-well-aged tweet you’d like to be remvoed from the face of the Earth. Well, what happens when some of your most personal and intimate pictures and videos falls into the hands of a sadistic pervert? Well, you get the story of Hunter Moore. A man, who during the early days of social media, decided to create an illegal pornographic website, “Is Anyone Up?”, displaying explicit pictures of men and women that were hacked from their Gmail, Facebook and Twitter accounts. A man who frequently taunted his victims and refused to take down their private photos even after they begged him to. All the while, profiting off the misery and suffering of others. At some point, he was even deemed “The Most Hated Man on the Internet” (roll credits)!

This three-episode documentary on Netflix delves into the rise and fall of Moore and how the online community build the man up and also took him down. It’s made by the creators behind one of Netflix’s most popular docuseries “Don’t F**k with Cats”. Similar to the previous docuseries, “The Most Hated Man on the Internet” will also be focusing on those who sought to bring Moore to justice. Can their latest docuseries match the hype and intensity of the feline magnum opus? Let’s find out!

One major concern we had about “The Most Hated on the Internet” was whether or not it could hold our attention. In the year 2022, there’s very little that we’d consider shocking. Especially when it comes to the way the internet operates. So in light of documentaries like “Cyber Hell: Exposing Internet Horror”, would there be enough shock value and novelty to keep us engaged? Honestly, no in spite of its best efforts. The docuseries constantly amplifies the humanity of Hunter Moore’s victims and how they were victims of exploitation. Yet at the same time, we couldn’t help but find Netflix’s sensationalist exploration on the subject hypocritical. Hence, it doesn’t quite make us ponder on the nature of human evil the way “The Sons of Sam” or “The Nilsen Tapes” did.

So if you came in with an appetite for the macabre or disturbing, you’ll most likely leave disappointed. As an internet detective story though, “The Most Hated Man on the Internet” is a bit of good fun. In an era before cyber-protection laws, how do you convict someone of stealing information and posting it up online? The answer to that question comes in the form of an avenging mother, Charlotte Laws who does everything in her power to ensure that Moore pays for his crimes.

The first episode does a fairly effective job of laying out the background behind the revenge porn website and its founder. Though, the extent in which it drums up the danger his followers pose borders on repetitive. The majority of the episode is dedicated to Charlotte and her daughter Kayla wrestling with Moore before eventually achieving a breakthrough. One that would further inspire Charlotte to pursue her mission of ensuring that every girl on the website is vindicated.

Her passion and dedication comes through in the interviews and adds a layer of excitement to the affair. One of the odder and more tragic part of the docuseries is focused on the life of a woman Destiny Benedict, also known as “Butthole Girl”. It’s a sad tale of how a young mother had to resort to degrading herself to support her family. Just one of the many victims who were caught in a vicious cycle of abuse by Moore and his edgelord gang.

The second episode is when the docuseries begins to grow beyond the narrative scope of just Moore and his victims. There are intersecting narratives involving reporter Camille Dodero from a local newsite “The Village Voice”, FBI Agent Jeff Kirkpatrick and anti-bullying advocate James McGibney. The three of them working on their end of things to take down Moore. All noble souls by their own right but the way the docuseries goes to great lengths to depict them as heroes can be see as over-indulgent.

There are some lines in here that will definitely have you rolling your eyes at them. Especially with Charlotte. Part of the fun of “Don’t F**k wih Cats” was the fact that it was a bunch of lonely misfits who banded together to catch an animal abuser. “The Most Hated Man on the Internet” is lacking a lot of that oddball charm that makes for a likeable cast of characters. Similar to the first episode, this one also tracks Moore’s rise to noteriety with his appearance in an interview with Anderson Cooper. If this docuseries manages to accomplish anything, it’s in its ability to inspire our contempt for how much of an utter garbage person Moore is.

The third episode, much like any final act in a film, sees the team triumphantly find the silver bullet that brings Moore to justice. It provides an emotionally satisfying resolution to Charlotte and Kayla’ journey for justice. As they close in on the prolific professional life-ruiner, the stakes are raised as Moore unleashes his followers upon them. Only to be met with resistance from other allies on the net. At long last, Moore faces the courts and is sentenced…and it just ends? We would have liked to have seen the docuseries dive a little deeper into what Moore has been up to lately seeing that he was released in 2017. The man clearly opened the way for other heinous practices online. The impact of his website on today’s culture of sexual exploitation online is a discussion worth having. One that who would have provided some much needed depth to this investigation.

Rob Miller and company deliver an entertaining three-part journey of how a mother alongside a cadre of crusaders took down the King of Revenge Porn. While it doesn’t quite have have the same shock or bite of Miller’s previous work, and its subject matter is quite quaint compared to the wilder stories online, “The Most Hated Man on the Internet” is a simple, powerful reminder that justice can done, even over a computer screen. On that note, remember to always keep yourself secured online, you never know whose watching.

You can now catch “The Most Hated Man on the Internet” on Netflix today!

Rob Miller and company deliver an entertaining three-part of how a mother alongside a cadre of crusaders took down the King of Revenge Porn. While it doesn't quite have have the same shock or bite of Miller's previous work, and its subject matter quite quaint compared to the wilder stories online, "The Most Hated Man on the Internet" is a simple, powerful reminder of that justice can done.


LEGOLAND® Malaysia Travel Tips!

Come 15th September 2012, Malaysia’s latest attraction will be opening its doors to the old and young alike. LEGOLAND® Malaysia is the sixth LEGOLAND to be built in the world and the very first in Asia. Yes, we get first dibs!

In April this year, we took a trip down to Nusajaya in Johor Bahru for a little sneak peek at the universally popular LEGO themed park. We haven’t stopped checking up on its news and updates ever since.

Just today, merely a few weeks away from its grand launch, LEGOLAND® Malaysia announced its bus and shuttle services. Ah, just the thing we needed! You know, not everyone can simply take a trip down to Johor Bahru and expect not to get lost.

“Our aim is to make the journey to the Park as easy as possible especially for families with children. With the door-to-door service, visitors can get to the Park comfortably and be assured that their journey will be less tiring,” said Siegfried Boerst (General Manager of LEGOLAND® Malaysia) upon the announcement.

The bus and shuttle services will operate every day from JB Sentral, Larkin, Gelang Patah Sentral and Johor Premium Outlets (JPO) and will commence in time for the Park’s grand opening.

A daily dedicated bus service, operated by Konsortium Transnasional Berhad (KTB), will leave Larkin for LEGOLAND® every thirty minutes between 9:00am and midday. Return buses will run from LEGOLAND to Larkin from 4:00pm until 6:30pm from Sunday to Friday. On Saturdays, school holidays and public holidays they will run until 8.30pm. Each round trip will cost only RM12.

Causeway Link will operate two new bus services. There will be a total of SIX trips each day between Johor Premium Outlets (JPO), LEGOLAND® and the Tuas 2ndLink. Visitors can expect up to 15 trips on the second Causeway Link route: JB Sentral – Larkin Sentral – LEGOLAND – Gelang Patah.

And even if you plan to drive, the Park Park has over 3,500 car parking bays on site and over 100 spaces for buses and coaches. It will provide visitors with access to both the Park and Mall of Medini. To further help navigation, the route to LEGOLAND is also well signposted.

So you can’t say that LEGOLAND® Malaysia is inaccessible now, can you? We’re not accepting any excuses! Now, let’s all make a date with some childhood dreams on the 15th September this year.

For more information on routes, schedules and prices, visit their website.

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Christian Bale Visits Colorado Shooting Victims

On Friday, following the Colorado shooting, he released an official statement. A heartfelt one that reads:

Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them.

And just hours ago, the caped crusader and A-list star of the Batman movies Christian Bale turned up unannounced at the Medical Center of Aurora. The hospital received 18 patients from the shooting, seven of whom were admitted. Three of them remained in intensive care and two were in critical condition.

He spent about two and a half hours at the hospital, visiting five victims who were wounded in the massacre at the movie theater and two others brought in from the Swedish Medical Center nearby. One of the patients, Carey Rottman, even had a picture taken with Bale and it found its way to Twitter:

According to Bill Voloch (the interim president of the facility) the visit was just was the doctor ordered. He said, “We hope it was therapeutic for them, and all the staff really appreciated him coming. The patients were really happy to meet Bale. They are obviously big fans of his movies. They wanted to see Batman and were really pleased to see Bale.”

Warner Bros., the studio that distributed the movie said that Bale went to Colorado on his own and that he asked that his visit not to be announced in advance.

It was reported that Bale also met with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and with doctors, police officials, and some first responders to the scene of the tragic Century 16 theater incident where 12 people were killed and 58 injured.

After his surprise visit, he also stopped by a makeshift memorial to the victims that’s located across the street from the movie theater, accompanied by his wife Sibi.

Because that’s what superheroes do. With all love and respect, Christian, with all love and respect.


#StarWars: R2D2 ANA Plane Lands In Singapore’s Changi Airport

The moment that everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived!

No, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” hasn’t been released ahead of its original premiere. But the larger-than-life R2D2 All Nippon Airways (ANA) plane has landed. In Singapore. At Changi Airport.

In April this year, it was announced that ANA will paint one if its brand-new Boeing 787s with an R2D2 motif in honour of the iconic sci-fi film series.

At that time, ANA said that this is part of a 5-year “Star Wars Project” that will presumably bring more “Star Wars“-themed airliners into its fleet, based out of Japan.

And out of Japan they have gone! Because in October, it was confirmed that the plane will be heading to Singapore on 12th November. Singapore marks the first Asian stop outside Japan to welcome the R2D2 jet. The plane will be making a 2-night stop at Changi Airport and fans will be able to be part of an event on 14th November.

Bummed that you can’t be there? Fret not! Feast your eyes on the pictures in the gallery below. You’re welcome :)


#JKRowling: Author Says Harry Potter Is Done After “Cursed Child”; Wants To Write About The Next Generation

The good news is that the stage play and script book for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” debuted yesterday (31st July 2016), which also marks Harry Potter’s 36th birthday; the bad news is that author J.K. Rowling said that the story for “The Boy Who Lived” is done.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

“He goes on a very big journey during these 2 plays and then, yeah, I think we’re done. This is the next generation, you know. So, I’m thrilled to see it realised so beautifully but, no, Harry is done now,” said the 51-year-old writer to Reuters during the plays’ gala opening at the London’s Palace Theatre.

Though fans hope to see more of Harry Potter after the “Cursed Child”, all good things must come to an end as the author is thinking of continuing the story about the next generation (Read: Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco’s children).

“It chimed perfectly with the material I had about the next generation and I could see it would work perfectly. So I never wanted to write another novel, but this will give the fans something special.”

But fret not, that’s not the end of Rowling’s wizarding world. Fans and Potterheads can still look forward to Warner Bros. and David Yate’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, which stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, this coming November. Also, a new batch of tickets for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” will be available for purchase starting 4th August, extending the show’s run until December 2017 instead of May 2017.

The latest wizarding world instalment is the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage and it is based on an original new story by Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany, and is written by Thorne.

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” picks up exactly where “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” ended: grown-up Harry and his wife Ginny sending off their 2 sons, James and Albus Potter, to Hogwarts at Platform 9 3/4. The play, which received rave reviews from fans and critics alike during the preview shows, is a 5-hour play, split over 2 parts.

Although we hope and dream that Hollywood might one day turn the play into a movie, “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live” ;)

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” stars Jamie Parker, Noma Dumezweni, Paul Thornley and young rising stars Sam Clement, Alex Price, as well as Cherrelle Skeete.

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

Source: Reuters / Featured image: Warner Bros.

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CIMB Issues Statement For Direct Debit Transaction Concerns

Many CIMB customers have expressed concerns over certain transactions in their account which were labelled as “Direct Debit” in their CIMB Clicks mobile app or website.

These Direct Debit transactions don’t seem to carry any clear description whatsoever leading to many believing that these transactions were made without authorisations.

@CIMB_Assists @CIMBMalaysia Guys this happened today. Checked my bank balance and found out that there were a few suspicious transactions happened over the past three consecutive days and found out it came from this “direct debit” description.

CIMB kindly respond ASAP. TQ. pic.twitter.com/fTgPfy9A4D

Hai @CIMB_Assists @CIMBMalaysia, banyak-banyak ambik duit orang nak buat ape tu? pic.twitter.com/GztwvEZ77g

— Jibril Isa (@zulhafixiiced) April 3, 2020

Apparently, these transactions aren’t major cause for concern according to CIMB themselves, stating that the Direct Debit transactions are real. Here is a full statement by CIMB:

“We would like to reassure affected customers that the recent ‘direct debit’ transactions are legitimate debit card transactions done by customers. These were isolated incidents relating to incomplete transactions performed by customers with overseas merchants such as online streaming subscriptions/ services. However, the transaction description were re-termed as ‘direct debits’, causing the confusion for our customers. We apologise for the confusion and we will be communicating with the affected customers directly.”

CIMB has directly responded to some of the complaints made on Twitter stating that some of the transactions were related to overseas transactions or subscription services like Spotify and Netflix.

Hai, transaksi 'Direct Debit' merujuk kepada transaksi kad Debit untuk merchant/kedai di luar negara dan pembelian dalam talian atau langganan seperti Spotify atau Netflix. Transaksi tersebut adalah transaksi yang sah.(1/2)

— CIMBMalaysia (@CIMBMalaysia) April 3, 2020

However, some users aren’t satisfied with their response. Here are some of responses from Twitter:

Yeah, it looks like we might not be hearing the end of this just yet and there’s probably more for CIMB to say to this whole situation.

CIMB customers affected by this may be fuming but some people are finding a funny side to this story:

For customers looking to inquire more information about such transactions, CIMB urges them to reach its customer service hotline at 03-62047788.

Note that this hotline is currently only operational between 8am to 7pm due to the on-going Movement Control Order.

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New Instagram Drama Receives No “Heart”s

If you’ve looked at your Instagram recently, you’d realize that they’ve begun preempting their users that they’re “making some improvements” and “updating” their privacy policy and terms of service. The question is, have you read it?

Because the policy shift has apparently sparked a public outcry! And no, it’s not because Instagram has decided to charge its users.

The new policy, which will take effect on 16th January 2013, comes three months after social networking giant Facebook completed its acquisition of Instagram. Under the new policy, Facebook claims the perpetual right to license all public Instagram photos to companies or any other organization, including for advertising purposes, which would effectively transform the website into the world’s largest stock photo agency.

This also means that Facebook can sell your photos to agencies and clients, and not pay you for it. Also, the new rights will allow Facebook to license users’ photos to any other organization. Again, without payment or notification to you. Oh, also, you have no way of opting out of this unless if you delete your account before 16th January 2013.

“As part of our new collaboration, we learned that by being able to share insights and information with each other, we can build better experiences for our users“.