#AliceInWonderland: First Look At Sequel Posters & Sacha Baron Cohen’s Character

Australian actress Mia Wasikowska will return to the Wonderland as Alice for another round of tea parties with Johnny Depp‘s Mad Hatter through the sequel of Disney‘s live-action adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland” soon.

But this time around, she will need to win in a race against time to make things right again.

The 2010 live-action version of “Alice in Wonderland”, which was directed by Tim Burton, was one of the few movies to make more than a billion dollars worldwide. Its box office success helped spawn a sequel, which will once again be written by Linda Woolverton. However, Burton will not return to the director’s chair as James Bobin is in charge of helming the project instead.

Over the weekend, Disney disclosed several new details regarding the movie during its D23 Expo in Anaheim, California.

It was revealed that the sequel will find Alice returning to Wonderland and discovering that “things are going very wrong”. In a quick video presentation, it was shown that Alice is forced to turn to Time, a new character who is part human, part clock, for help as the Mad Hatter is “growing darker”. Though the titular heroine has been warned that she will not be able to win in a race against time and change the past, she winds up going on a time travel adventure to prevent the loss of her friend.

As the film revisits Lewis Carroll’s original stories with an all-new new tale that travels back in time to the Underland, Alice will encounter younger versions of “the characters we know and love”. As a result, there will be some exploration into exactly how these characters came to be as we know them.

Time, who is the main new character of the film, is being put centre stage during the “Alice Through The Looking Glass” presentation. It was announced that the character will be portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen, who is best known for his roles in “Borat” and “Les Misérables“. Time will have powers that allow Alice to visit the Wonderland characters at different times in their lives.

Rhys Ifans is also joining the cast as Zanik Hightopp, the Mad Hatter’s father, but the details about his character are kept under wraps. In addition to the plot and character details, Disney gave us a glimpse at Depp and Wasikowsa’s characters through 2 whimsical posters of “Alice Through The Looking Glass”.

Anne Hathaway is returning to the sequel as the White Queen while Helena Bonham Carter will reprise her role as the Red Queen. Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry, Alan Rickman, Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Paul Whitehouse, and Barbara Windsor are also returning to voice their respective roles. Toby Jones has been hired to voice a new character named “Wilkins”.

“Alice Through The Looking Glass” is currently slated for release on 27th May 2016.

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Dance & Indie Come Together In Steve Angello’s New Track “Wasted Love”

Electronic dance music DJ trio: Axwell, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso, better known as Swedish House Mafia broke hearts all across the globe in mid 2012 when they announced that they were going on One Last Tour before going their separate ways. Ever since then, former member, Steve Angello’s debut album Wild Youth has been one of dance music’s most anticipated albums in recent history.

Set for release in the latter half of 2014, Angello unleashes “Wasted Love” featuring The Temper Trap’s Dougy Mandagi on vocals as the album’s lead single. Different from his previous work, the tracks is a perfect blend of dance and indie featuring tasteful and inspiring electronica that works closely with its lyrical significance, flavouring a similar to the highly-anticipated “Children Of The Wild” which was, until now, rumoured to be Wild Youth‘s first official single.

With Wild Youth slated for a fall release on Columbia Records, “Wasted Love” perfectly fits the impeding project’s motif which Angello describes as:

“I want to write something that’s going to be part of my life forever. Every song, lyric has something to do with my childhood or my present time. Every song means something, every track is inspired by a time in my life.”

Listen to “Wasted Love” and let us know what you think in the comments below!


CONTEST: Jaywalking Right Into Our Hearts!

You know by now that Jay Park is coming to Malaysia for his “Jay Park Showcase“. And we know that Malaysian “Jaywalkers” are très excited about this.

But let’s turn things up a notch, shall we?

Jay Park will be celebrating his 25th birthday on the 25th of April. Since it’s only weeks away from his show in Kuala Lumpur, let’s wish him a gigantic happy birthday. Better yet, let’s win prizes for doing so!

We know what you’re thinking – if you love Jay Park, are a true Jaywalker, and want so badly to see him perform live on the 13th of May 2012, then this is like the best day ever! Right?

But you gotta work for it. And here’s what you have to do:

Submit your video URL under “Contest Form” here. Sound easy, huh?

Then do it quick because, remember, the contest will close on the 25th of April 2012. Good luck, Jaywalkers!

For more information, visit Universal Music Malaysia Chinese’s Facebook page.


(Video) Foreign Man Gets Criticised For Crashing His Drone Into Merdeka 118

The Merdeka 118 tower has been getting a lot of attention lately and not necessarily for the right reasons. Other than being known as the second tallest building in the world, the skyscraper is now known as the tall building foreign daredevils dared to climb without permission. Unfortunately, it probably won’t end there.

Being an iconic building, foreigners are just so curious to see the view from on top of the tower that they’re willing to do almost anything to catch a glimpse. While this man from China did not climb the tower, he did had some help from his drone to capture the view. Unfortunately for him, things did not go as planned.

In a video uploaded on the popular Chinese video-sharing website Bilibili, a tourist from China wanted to fly his drone to take photos from the top of the Merdeka 118 tower. In the 4-minute video, the Chinese man apparently wanted to share just how tall the building really is with his followers after learning about the Russian couple who climbed the tower.

From the clip, we can see the man arriving at the tallest location he could find to fly his drown after asking for directions from the construction workers. The video then cuts to the majestic aerial view of the tower taken by the drone. As breathtaking as it is, the Chinese tourist got into a little bit of trouble when his drone got disconnected.

Not being able to control his small aircraft, the content creator panicked as the drone crashed straight into the tower before plunging 600 metres to its demise. “It’s over, it’s over!” he said while frantically trying to reconnect his remote control to the device.

If crashing his drone wasn’t bad enough, the video was met with mostly negative comments from netizens telling the tourist that he could’ve gotten someone hurt and that flying a drone in certain locations without permission is against the law. As for the content creator himself, he has yet to respond to any of the comments.

Someone’s drone crashed into Menara Merdeka 118 and fell to the ground because it lost its signal and disconnected. by u/UniverseSphere in malaysia

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Papa Idola Arrested Over Viral TikTok Clip Of Him Kissing Young Boy’s Lips

Police have arrested a cosmetics product founder, to assist in the investigation over a viral TikTok clip that showed him kissing a young boy on the lips.

Bukit Aman Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division (D11) principal assistant director
ACP Siti Kamsiah Hassan said the entrepreneur, Muhamad Norhisham Harun (known as Papa Idola Semalaya) was arrested following a report made by a member of the public.

“The suspect came to the police station to provide a statement on the case, before he was detained later. Further investigations are still underway and the suspect is still in police custody,” Kamsiah explained.

The case has been classified under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children 2017 Act. “The suspect was arrested on Tuesday (16th February) and has been released after his statement was recorded,” she added.

In case you missed it, an 8-second video showing Papa Idola kissing a teenage boy, whom he claimed to be his adopted brother, went viral all over social media. Not only that, the issue also caught the attention of Johor Prince TMJ and Caprice, who took to their respective social media accounts to voice out firmly against the businessman’s action.


Simon Yam & Canon Gives Back To The Children

It was truly a memorable and most anticipated Sunday for the children at Yayasan Sunbeams Home in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur when Hong Kong superstar and Canon ambassador Simon Yam along with representatives from Canon Marketing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd visited their home to present Canon IXUS cameras as gifts to the home.

The children at Yayasan Sunbeams Home were treated to a sumptuous lunch followed by Sunday afternoon movie screening of the award winning Hong Kong film “Echoes of the Rainbow” starring Simon Yam himself.

“This is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to give back to the society and we hope that this will brighten the life of the children from Yayasan Sunbeams Home and encourage them to take up photography as a new hobby”, said Simon Wong, Director of the Imaging Communication Products division of Canon Marketing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

Canon ambassador Simon Yam was back in Malaysia to celebrate Canon Malaysia’s 25th anniversary at the Eye on Canon showcase and took the opportunity to visit the home with the Canon team.

“I was moved by the children here. Being a father myself, I understand the importance of parental love to a child and I am very happy to be able to spend the day with them and hopefully inspired them to work hard and live their dreams”, said Simon Yam.

Canon (Marketing) Malaysia Sdn Bhd also channeled a total of RM3, 000 collected from the camera sales of Eye on Canon Showcase 2012 to support Yayasan Sunbeams Home which is a non-governmental, self-supporting institution that was established to care and provide for the orphaned, abused, neglected and abandoned children.


Laguna Redang Island Resort Warns Netizens Of Fake 11.11 Holiday Packages

While the internet can be a great place to stay updated on all the ongoing promotions and giveaways, it also makes us more vulnerable to being scammed. This appears to be the case when Laguna Redang Island Resort recently revealed that fraudsters have been using the resort’s name to sell fake stay packages.

These fraudsters have been pretending to be agents of Laguna selling “attractive packages”. However, it is now confirmed that this is a scam and the resort has no connection to such individuals and did not authorise any of the promotions they are trying to sell.

It appears that this promotional package, which amassed such a large sum of money, had taken place after the fraudsters falsely advertised a 11.11 promotion for a stay at the luxury beach resort. However, the island resort later clarified that it did not endorse nor participate in any third party 11.11 event or Facebook live event.

In an official statement released on Laguna Redang Island Resort’s Facebook page, the holiday destination stated than an unauthorised sum of RM100,000 was banked into their bank account on 11th November 2020 while also alerting the public to beware of such fraudulent transactions.

The idyllic resort located on the coastlines near Terengganu also asked those who have already made transactions under the scam to report the issue to the police immediately.

“For those who have conducted transaction with the suspected fraudsters, please report the matter to the police immediately as LAGUNA has lodged a police report on 11 November 2020 to protect our interest and to prevent further fraud,” concluded the official statement.

Please be aware of these widespread fraudulent activities and make sure to always triple check the validity of these transactions before deciding to make a purchase.

Source: Laguna Redang Island Resort’s Facebook page.

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#FightOfTheCentury: Mayweather Relinquishes Titles After #MayPac Match

38-year-old “undefeated” Floyd Mayweather emerged victorious from the most lucrative fight in history aka the #FightOfTheCentury, beating Manny Pacquiao via a wide unanimous decision in Las Vegas.

According to CNN, tickets for the event sold out in minutes. Some were exchanging hands on the black market for as much as USD350,000 before the fight. Even closed circuit relays of the match in Vegas were reportedly selling for as much as USD3,500 a ticket, while millions of viewers (boxing fans and non boxing fans alike) tuned in from every corner of the globe on pay-per-view channels.

We would know – we too tuned in to the match too via HBO Asia on Astro.

It was such a big deal that rival broadcasters Showtime and HBO joined forces for the first time since Lennox Lewis fought Mike Tyson in 2002 to show the fight, with Jimmy Lennon Jr and Michael Buffer sharing ring announcer duties.

A-listers in the 16,507 crowd included actors Clint Eastwood, Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale. Adrien Brody, Robert De Niro, as well as artistes Sting, Nicki Minaj, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Christina Milian, Prince, Beyonce, Jay Z, and US tycoon Donald Trump, just to name a few:

In Manny Pacquiao aka Pacman’s homeland of the Philippines, millions tuned in to watch their hero, congressman, and cultural icon take on the man known to refer to himself as “TBE” (The Best Ever).

Floyd Mayweather aka Money, who added the WBO welterweight title to the WBC and WBA titles he already owned, was awarded the fight 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 by the 3 judges. With his victory, Mayweather also cemented his status as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of his generation.

If you’re unfamiliar with a controversial points decision, let’s just say that there was a little disputing the outcome of this showdown.

However, Pacquiao’s pride will no doubt be salved when he next checks his bank account – it is estimated the fight will generate USD400 million in total, with Mayweather and Pacquiao set to split in the region of USD230 million.

On top of that, it was also announced slightly after the match that Floyd Mayweather made quite an unorthodox and unexpected decision of his own – that after defeating Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather will give up all his belts and he will do so by Monday (4th May). This was confirmed Paco Valcarcel, who is the President of the World Boxing Organization. He took to Twitter to say that it was agreed upon prior to the fight that if Mayweather won, the title would be vacated.

As courtesy we handed @FloydMayweather WBO belt- and he accepted it- but it was agreed beforehand that should he win, title would be vacant.

— Paco Valcárcel, Esq. (@PacoValcarcel) May 3, 2015

Welp, regardless, even if he won’t have his belts by Monday, Floyd Mayweather will have something much more valuable to him.

Yes, we’re talking about his “nicknamesake”, money.

— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) May 3, 2015

Sources: CNN, CBS Sports, BBC / Featured image from CNN.

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WINNERS: Win Tickets To See Spector Live in KL!

Oh, hello there, troopers! Thank you for diligently flooding our Twitter timeline. Some of you even went the extra mile to e-mail us!

We’ve narrowed down the names and here are the final, LUCKY five readers who will be catching Spector LIVE in Kuala Lumpur on 6th October 2012 (Saturday) at Stage KL:

Congratulations, peeps! You’ve earned yourselves a pair of exclusive passes (each), thanks to the ever so awesome Universal Music Malaysia. Kindly collect your passes from our office as soon as possible.

B-13-5 Northpoint Office Suites, Mid Valley City,

Our office hours are 10am to 6pm (Monday to Friday only).


#SDCC2014: The Most Memorable Moments

We had the most amazing weekend what with all the latest updates about the upcoming films, TV series, comics, and games announced at the 2014 San Diego Comic Con! It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to make it out there this year but perhaps it did save us some time from queueing up to get into the panels too.

However, attending Comic Con has always been in our bucket list and there are just way too many things that we wanted to witness with our own eyes!

Celebrity sighting at Comic Con? You got it. Exclusive FUNKO POP! vinyl figures? Yes, they have it there.

For those who attended the 2014 San Diego Comic Con (SDCC), they were also able to attend the exclusive screenings of teaser trailers or pilot episodes for the upcoming movies and series such as “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, “Gotham“ and so on.

Before jealousy gets the best of us, we compiled these most memorable SDCC 2014 moments for you and now we can all be jealous at the attendees together. Check it!

“So, anyone wants some coffee?”, said Supernatural’s Misha Collins to those who were waiting in the Hall H line for the Supernatural panel. The actor was seen wearing a cute cupcake apron while delivering coffee to people who waited in the queue for long hours. Some lucky fans were able to get his autograph on the coffee cup and take pictures with him too. On top of that, the star spent a great amount of time taking pictures of himself with the cosplayers too!

2. Best Grand Entrance: Robert Downey Jr.

When it comes to making a grand entrance, no one does it better than Robert Downey Jr. who walked into Marvel Studios panel with some sleek dance moves to Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough”. The actor also brought a box filled with roses and threw them to audience. It was truly a star-studded panel as his fellow “Avengers” cast (except Scarlett Johansson) also attended the event to discuss their upcoming film, “Avengers: Age of Ultron”!

In terms of size, the Hulk is a gigantic green monster that even Thor wouldn’t take the chance at pissing off. But in real life, the Hulk lost to Thor when Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth) compared his biceps to the Hulk’s (played by Mark Ruffalo) biceps during Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” SDCC 2014 panel.

Daniel Radcliffe is definitely one of the reasons why we wanted to attend SDCC 2014 because the actor was spotted walking around the showroom floor in his Spider-Man disguise! He even stopped and posed for pictures with some fans who didn’t know better. The British actor previously expressed his desire to play Batman’s Robin and the actor said in an interview with MTV that he has always wanted to attend the comic con. Luckily for him, he was able to attend it this year in conjunction with his new film, Horns.

5. George R.R Martin, The Father of Dragons

Step aside, Khaleesi! The REAL mother of dragons is here…or rather, the father. Reddit user “justbeingfrank” uploaded a selfie of himself with American author George R. R. Martin when he ran into the author at SDCC 2014. Best known for his fantasy novel, “Game of Thrones”, the author fitted his face into a cutout cardboard of Daenerys Targaryen (played by Emily Clarke) and posed for the picture. Looking at this picture, we are not sure if we should be jealous of the lucky fan or worry about Daenerys’ life in the book since George R. R. Martin is known to do drastic things to his characters.

Uh oh. It looks like someone has been stalking the Internet! Netizens freaked out a little when the Iron Man’s Robert Downey Jr. jokingly called Captain America’s Chris Evans “Dorito” in an interview. “Dorito Captain America” is a term that was coined by the fans when they compared his shoulder to waist ratio to the shape of a Dorito. But of course, the term has only been used by the fans until Robert Downey Jr. used it during the interview. Iron Man’s watching, you guys.

7. The Hobbit’s Director Peter Jackson Cosplaying

The Hobbit’s director Peter Jackson has pretty much won the Internet when he posted a series of photos of himself cosplaying the Evil Jester at the SDCC 2014. The director wrote on his Facebook page that he had fun walking around while stopping to pose for pictures with oblivious fans. Little did the fans know, they were taking picture with the amazing director who attended the comic con to talk about his latest film. “The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies” at the panel in Hall H.

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Our Picks Of Things To Do In The Klang Valley This Week! (23-29 Jan)

Chinese New Year festivities are upon us – and only add to the slew of exciting events already on hand across Greater Kuala Lumpur. Keep your Year of the Rabbit high going by partaking in the following list of activities sure to amuse and amaze you.

From an art gallery show to a party at a swanky hotel – here are eight events you can dive into this week:

Location: Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS, KLCC

As part of its 25th anniversary celebration, the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) will offer a concert titled MPO Goes Broadway, which will be filled with the glitter, drama, dancing, and enchantment of many timeless Broadway masterpieces. The evening’s performance will include a 25-minute sequence from West Side Story called Symphonic Dances; as well as Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera Suite. The live orchestra, conducted by Gerard Salonga, will be supported by prominent vocalists Izen Kong, Sean Ghazi, YiLing Chaing, and Ida Mariana. Book your tickets to the thrilling and amazing MPO night here.

Everyone has a collection of personal experiences. The Hanya Satu gallery features a piece that references the artist Red Hong Yi’s personal recollection of a photograph taken while residing in Longtang, Shanghai. ‘Once Upon A Longtang’ is an installation consisting of eight works constructed from calligraphy paper.

Revel in the Year of the Rabbit by shopping for cool collectibles at KL Collectors Market CNY at KL Gateway Mall. Special pop culture toys, antiques, records, music memorabilia, collectibles, vintage apparel, shoes, and other treasures will be available at the KL Collectors Market CNY Edition. Don’t pass up this opportunity to score awesome items!

A flea market like no other, Lubok Flea Market is your go-to pop-up destination for anything and everything vintage. From antiques and preloved books, to clothing bundles and even numismatic, you can certainly score a few hidden gems that will make your shopping experience a one-of-a-kind adventure!

Location: WET Deck at W Hotel Kuala Lumpur

What’s better than tan lines and good fun on a leisurely Sunday afternoon? Relax by the pool and spend your Sunday afternoon with amazing people, delicious food, and, of course, wonderful music. In the centre of KL City, with amazing views of the Twin Towers, mingle, laugh, and even dive into the pool at the trendiest location in town. The Social Sunday will feature music from Howie Lee, Kaiza, Azran, Dora, Nadia, Irama, Victor G, and Calvin Clarke, allowing you to groove all night.

Aquaria KLCC is celebrating Chinese New Year with the introduction of Gong Sea Bunnies! Expect incredible activities, such as its iconic Underwater Lion Dance and a visit by the God of Prosperity. There will also be unique redemptions, such as exclusive Gong Sea Bunnies angpau packets for every ticket purchased and when you spend at the Atlantis retail store, as well as pop-sockets. Aquaria KLCC also features a Hoppy House to commemorate the Year of the Water Rabbit. Hop your way to Aquaria KLCC for a magical and jawsome Chinese New Year!

Want to spend the holidays guilt-free? Visit One&Only Desaru Coast to unwind and relax at the seaside paradise for a sumptuous and joyous occasion. Join the abundant beginnings with a spectacular gourmet feast and an amazing lineup of activities for a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Location: Genting Highlands Premium Outlets

Spend your hard-earned ka-ching at Genting Highlands Premium Outlets where homegrown accessories brand, BONIA, is holding a massive Chinese New Year sale. The brand is running an incredible promotion that lets you get up to RM188 back when you spend upwards of RM1,200! This Lunar New Year, shop like there’s no tomorrow at BONIA.

Apple store has curated a list of fun apps to keep you entertained throughout this CNY. Here are some recommendations to check out:


Kuala Lumpur To Host An EDM Convention For The First Time

For the first time ever, Kuala Lumpur will soon play host to a new electronic music convention called Wired Music Week (WMW) – a one-stop hub for music enthusiasts of various levels to learn, network, develop and advance, not only as individuals but as a community.

With an aim to provide a platform and incubation space for the healthy growth and development of the music industry on an international scale, Wired Music Week will link together some of the brightest minds in the music industry to encourage creativity and innovation within the music industry.

Featuring a series of talks, panel discussions, workshops and master classes by the pros, Wired Music Week is set to take place from 11 to 13 May 2018 at Tamarind Square, Cyberjaya.

The line-up consists of a wide range of event promoters, record label heads, venue representatives, artists, talents and industry delegates from local, regional and international communities spanning Germany, Australia, The Netherlands, the UK, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan, Sweden, Malaysia and Thailand.

Below is the list of confirmed artists, speakers and labels involved in Wired Music Week below.

Featured image: Wired Music Week Facebook page

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Samsung GALAXY S4: No S-Pen, 5-Inch Screen?

Korean news site DDaily has reported that Samsung will begin manufacturing its new full HD AMOLED smartphone panel later this month. The five-inch display, which was teased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas last month, will be mass produced from the end of February and shipped for commercial release in early March.

Yes, if you’re thinking what we’re thinking, then you’ve guessed right. It sure does sound like Samsung is gearing up for an imminent launch of the much-anticipated Samsung GALAXY SIV/Samsung GALAXY S4.

Aside from a five-inch 1080p display, the smartphone is also mooted to feature an eight-core Exynos processor (also showcased at CES) plus a 13-megapixel camera, and built-in wireless charging capabilities.

Meanwhile, other rumours suggest that the design for the smartphone has been finalized and that there will be no major aesthetic changes. Its well-known button is here to stay. Also, it looks like there will not be an S-Pen present, contrary to previous “predictions”.

Samsung is tipped to officially raise the curtain on the Samsung GALAXY SIV/Samsung GALAXY S4 sometime between March 15th and 22nd in a location supposedly right on “Apple’s doorstep”. Meanwhile, here’s a video to (sorta) quench your “thirsty” curiosity:

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

Sources: Phone Arena, DDaily, Droid Life.


90s British Boyband Blue To Tour In Singapore In April 2019

We can’t “Breathe Easy” at the moment. That’s cause Blue will be performing in Singapore next year.

The UK 90s boyband, which consists of members Antony Costa, Duncan James, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe, will be bringing fans in Asia a trip down memory lane with their upcoming tour.

A post shared by Official Blue (@officialblue)

Formed in 2000, Blue was all the rage back then, churning out pop hit after pop hit from their 3 studio albums “All Rise” (2001), “One Love” (2002) and “Guilty” (2003). Since releasing another 2 records – “Roulette” (2013) and “Colours” (2015) – the quartet has been touring around the UK and Ireland.

In case you didn’t know, the British singers were also in Kuala Lumpur a few months. However, it was for a private event. For specifically, they were invited to perform at the wedding of Malaysia’s very own “Crazy Rich Asians” – Faliq Nasimuddin and Chryseis Tan. Westlife lead singer Shane Filan was also at the star-studded happy occasion.

Fans can expect Blue to bring back the nostalgia with songs such as “If You Come Back”, “Best In Me”, “U Make Me Wanna”, “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”, and many more. So far, the group has only confirm for a one-night only performance in Singapore. No word yet if they’ll be adding more countries to their Asia tour.

The details to Blue’s “Live in Singapore” are as follows:

Tickets will go on sale at APACTix on 21st December 2018 onwards. Limited VIP packages, which includes a meet & greet, will also be available.


Hype’s Exclusive: Discovering Sabrina Orial, Asia’s Acoustic Sweetheart

Off and on again, we’ve heard her beautiful covers being played at cafes and restaurants in Malaysia. So when we were told that we’d finally be able to meet her in person, we jumped at the opportunity.

Sabrina (real name Roli Alexandra Xanxan Orial) is a Filipino recording artiste and acoustic singer of cover versions. She first gained recognition for her renditions of popular hit songs, which later inspired her to release an “I Love Acoustic” record.

It proved to be a success and to date, she has a total of 8 studio albums from the “I Love Acoustic” series. We say “success” because Sabrina effectively won over the hearts of music fans in a time when YouTube cover musicians were quickly gaining momentum.

We took it back to basics when we met up with Sabrina in the Philippines last weekend and spent a little time with her. Here’s what went down:

You’ve successfully launched a career on acoustic music and song covers. At which point in your life did you know that you wanted to do this?

That’s a good question! It all happened very fast. I started doing it when I was 18 year old and I didn’t know that it was going to be an album series at first. It was actually just like, “Okay, let’s try acoustic” and then they told me, “Hey, sales are good so we’re gonna do another one.” And before I knew it, I was working on my 5th album. I’m very blessed because it’s still going on, it became an album series. That motivated me to keep making every volume amazing. I want to make every album better than the previous one.

Having released so many beautiful covers of popular songs in the past decade or so, how do you decide which artiste or what songs to cover?

Basically, it’s decided by the listeners. Because we always pick out the hit songs from the charts – that’s when Universal Music Malaysia, Universal Music Philippines, and Universal Music Singapore come together and are like, “Okay, what’s really popular in your country?” Then we make a compromise because it’s just one recording and one setlist, and it’s going to be released in so many countries around Asia. So it’s a team effort to make sure that the songs work in every country.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

Personally, what do you think draws people to your music, considering it actually centres on covers of original songs by some of the world’s leading artistes?

Actually, you know what? The trick is..I love singing but I don’t love listening to music. So it comes naturally to me to sing the songs in my own way. Because, you know, when you listen to somebody, you don’t know it but you tend to copy him or her, the way he or she sings. Also, my mentor previously told me, “If you’re going to cover a song that’s already there, you either do it better than the original or do it totally different” and I chose totally different. I just do it my own way. It’s a challenge especially when the song is about something that I can’t relate to like partying or going somewhere that I haven’t been. But my mentor told me to sing it as if I’m telling somebody else’s story.

Your fans call you “Asia’s Acoustic Sweetheart”. But what are some wacky qualities about yourself that they’d be surprised to find out about?

You know, they’re going to be hearing a lot of my wacky qualities in my new album because I’ll be releasing original songs. And those are songs that I’ve written myself and the thing is, I only write songs when I’m feeling negative emotions. Because I don’t wanna verbalise it or call my friends up when I’m sad and share my burdens with them. So I just get a pen, a piece of paper, and my guitar, and write a song. It’s like making something good out of a situation that isn’t necessarily good. Coming out with original songs..it’s like, you guys are really going to get to know me. Wacky qualities and all.

How many songs are there on your original album and which would you say are your personal favourites?

8 songs and out of those 8 songs, 7 are mine. I love them all. Really! Each song is a different emotion. My single right now is “Hypnotized”, so it’s kinda like my side that’s..sexy because it’s inviting the one that you love to be with you. Like, “I will show you that I’m the one for you” and me fighting for my love. There’s a song about anger and another song about being rebellious called “Just Cause You Want To”. It’s like inviting you guys to do whatever you like, to hell with what everyone thinks about it, do it just cause you want to. The album should be out within this year, I’ve just wrapped up the photoshoot ;)

Have you got a bucket list of dream collaborations? Who’s on the list?

Bruno Mars. I think he’s..not only an awesome performer but also an awesome composer. The songs that he has put out, they all seem to have come out of nowhere because they’re not alike. I’d like to work with him one day and make a “Lazy Song” kind of song. And I’m that kind of person. Very chill, go with the flow..

Do you have any music listening guilty pleasures? What are they?

Yes, reggae. Reggae! I don’t mind who it’s from, of course Bob Marley is the best but I also like this band called Kolohe Kai. I think they’re actually Jamaican like legit reggae. They’ve disbanded but their music lives forever.

Last but not least, what can fans look forward to from Sabrina this year?

You guys should really watch out for my original album. Originally, it was supposed to be released only for the Philippines market. For Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region, it was supposed to be just the “I Love Acoustic” album series. Fortunately, I think we’re going to release it in Malaysia too, we’ve been talking about it. It’s amazing, right? Because these songs are kinda like my battle scars, these are songs that I’m proud of and are my actual experiences.

We honestly can’t wait to hear it, Sabrina! Thank you so much for the chat. We’ll leave you now with Sabrina’s original single titled, “Hypnotized” off her upcoming original album. Enjoy:

For more information on Sabrina, visit her Facebook page. Sabrina is also on Twitter and Instagram.

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Alif Satar Attends Malaysia’s First Harman Studio Grand Launch

Harman Studio achieved a new milestone by launching its first studio in Klang Valley yesterday (Friday, 22nd March) at Sunway Geo Avenue.

Malaysian singer Alif Satar, who is the brand ambassador for Harman, also made a special appearance in support of the grand opening. During the session, he shared how the world’s leading audio brand connects him to his passion, which is music.

“We are truly honoured to have Alif Satar as our ambassador. He embodies
the values and quality that Harman embraces. Most importantly, he also believes in
Harman,” said Mr. Mark Ng, Senior Business Development Manager, Harman Asia Pacific, in the press release.

As you may know, Harman houses brands like JBL, Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson, Lexicon, and Revel. Gadget geeks can now get their hands on Harman’s audio solutions and its latest products at the two-storey showroom of more than 3,000 square feet.

The audio has come a long way since it was established by Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon in 1953. Harman Kardon now provides customers with a wider range of audio products including home sound systems and Bluetooth speakers to upgrade your entertainment consumption.

“2019 is an interesting year for Harman Malaysia. We are reaching out to wider group of customers in Malaysia and we want to offer more than just our products. We want to engage them with the quality and values offered by Harman. I believe with the launch Harman Studio, the brand continues to be the audio brand of choice for our fellow Malaysians,” Mr. Mark Ng added.

A post shared by Alif Satar® (@alifsatar)

All of you can look forward to the JBL roadshow happening at Mid Valley Megamall (North
Court) from the 25th to 31st March 2019.

For more information on Harman Studio, click here.


(Video) Malaysians React To TikToker Blown Away By Parking Lot Sensors

It’s actually somewhat surprising that Malaysia has a lot of things that America doesn’t. Who would’ve thought that our malls are actually much bigger and cooler than the ones in the United States? Remember that American woman being blown away by Pavilion KL mall earlier last month?

Now, it has come to our attention that we have another thing that the land of freedom doesn’t. You’ve probably seen those sensors and monitors in parking lots that indicate if a space has been occupied and how many spaces are available? According to this video, this American believes that this place is living in the future.

While the events in the video did not take place in Malaysia, you can bet there are a lot of Malaysians commenting on it. TikTok user, who goes by the name @user1092837372773748282, posted their experience in a parking lot in Disneyland, Orlando, Florida with the caption, “Been here so many times and I’ve never noticed this. Is it newwww?”. The video is now going viral with over 2.2 million views.

According to the TikToker, they said that this Disneyland is “low-key living in the future”. They then proceeded to show and explain that the parking lot of the ‘happiest place on earth’ has sensors on the ceiling that informs you if a space is occupied when the light changes colour and that the monitor you see indicates how many parking spaces are left.

Sounds familiar? You can find this in Malaysia or basically anywhere else in the world. Netizens are surprised to find that this may not be a common thing in America. Either that or the uploader has been living under a rock. Many netizens from all over the world, Malaysians especially, commented that these sensors have existed in their country for years.

Whether or not this TikTok user is being serious, it’s still entertaining to see everyone’s comments and jokes about this ‘major discovery’. Can you think of another thing Malaysia has that the rest of the world doesn’t?


#Hipsney: 10 Of Your Fave #Disney Characters Reimagined As Hipsters

In the past, there has been many “makeovers” of your favourite Disney characters in various styles – goth, grunge, what they’d look like if they were real people, biker-mode and all tattooed up, in modern day, etc. You name it and they’ve probably done it.

Recently, DesignCrowd, a virtual design studio, encouraged aritsts to reimagine famous Disney characters as coffee-shop lurking, thrift-store hunting, quinoa-worshipping hipsters. What if Snow White and the 7 dwarves moved out of the woods and into a converted warehouse in Brooklyn? What if Ariel, bored with her #basic fish friends, got a bunch of tattoos and created a Tumblr account? And Pinnochio, tired of living a lie, finally embraced his inner artist and found himself with the help of a vintage camera and some 35mm film?

In other words, what if Disney characters were hipsters? You’re about to find out:

This design by NILBER ALLAN was submitted to Disney characters get hipster makeover project on Tuesday, September 16, 2014.

This design by Rijan was submitted to Disney characters get hipster makeover project on Friday, September 12, 2014.

This design by Jenn Smith was submitted to Disney characters get hipster makeover project on Friday, September 12, 2014.

This design by ArtTank was submitted to Disney characters get hipster makeover project.

This design by Blue Tusk Design was submitted to Disney characters get hipster makeover project.

This design by GJR was submitted to Disney characters get hipster makeover project.

This design by Ntok was submitted to Disney characters get hipster makeover project on Monday, September 15, 2014.

Which one was your favourite? Sound off in the comments box below!

Wanna see more? Head on over to DesignCrowd.

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American R&B Singer Jason Derulo Coming To Malaysia Next Month

Miami R&B singer-songwriter Jason Derulo will be making his way to Malaysia next month to promote his latest album “2Sides”.

Derulo last performance in Malaysia was in 2015 during the MTV World Stage, but he was recently in town to ink an MoU (memorandum of understanding) between him and Global Crypto Offering Exchange (GCOX).

He even told NST that Malaysia reminds him of his hometown Miami, so it makes sense that the 29-year-old singer decided to include Malaysia in his 2Sides World Tour.

Known for his hits “Wiggle“, “Talk Dirty“, “In My Head“, and “Whatcha Say“, Jason Derulo has sold over 50 million singles worldwide and has over 2 billion views on YouTube.

His 5th album “2Sides” will feature “Swalla” featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign and also “Goodby” by Jason Derulo and David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj and Willy William.

His most successful album “Talk Dirty”, spawned 5 platinum singles that sold a collective 16 million units worldwide. The track “Talk Dirty” itself sold over 6 million singles worldwide and became a No. 1 around the world.

Brought to you by Hyper Pictures Sdn Bhd, Derulo will be performing at KL Live on 6th December 2018 at 8pm. Tickets will be available on airasiaredtix.com.


Hype’s Movie Review: #Logan Is The Bloodiest & Saddest X-Men Film

Wolverine aka Logan, the beloved character played so brilliantly by Hugh Jackman over the duration of 17 years and 8 previous films in the “X-Men” universe, is ready to don his claws one last time in his 3rd and final chapter.

As the movie title suggests, “Logan” makes do without the spectacle of expensive CGI effects and instead, focuses on the central tormented mutant. By combining Marvel mythology with Western mythology, director James Mangold manages to craft a stripped down story about despair, decay, and death.

The year is now 2029. Superhuman mutants have been driven to the bring of extinction with no record of mutant births over the last 25 years. The few who managed to survive now live in an abandoned smelting factory that resembles dystopia.

Wolverine is now working as a freelance limo driver under his original name, James Howlett. The older clawed mutant is dying. His invincible adamantium skeleton is slowly poisoning him, thus weakening his healing powers and heightened senses. To compensate, alcohol becomes an outlet for Logan to heal.

He spends most of his time scrambling to make ends meet and support his old mentor, Charles “Professor X” Xavier, now a feeble man in his 90s and no longer able to gain full control of his body or his powers. Even his legendary telepathic powers are now a danger to every living thing nearby as a result of his violent seizures. If you think Logan is in a sad state, Xavier is even sadder.

Also living in the isolated refinery is Caliban: a pale, sun-sensitive mutant with tracking abilities who is a makeshift nursemaid for Xavier and also takes care of domestic chores. Their lives are no walk in the park, but this trio can at least rely on each other on a certain routine.

Their status quo is disrupted when a Mexican nurse named Gabriela who recognises that James Howlett is (or was) the Wolverine and begs him to deliver her and her “daughter” Laura (played by smashing newcomer Dafne Keen) to a specific location up north. The young ferocious Laura may only be an 11-year-old child, but being the genetic copy of Wolverine (aka X-23) gives her no such youthful luxuries.

Logan ends up reluctantly becoming Laura’s guardian and agrees to take her to North Dakota, the location where she believes is an Eden for young mutants. Hot on her heels are Dr. Zander Rice (the head of Transigen who is responsible for creating X-23 and other children experiments) together with Donald Pierce and his paramilitary cyborg Reavers.

What’s interesting about Pierce is his sly southern charm, which he uses to mask his brutal lack of compassion. Although this henchman has a serious fanboy crush on Wolverine, he is one twisted horror. To him, Laura is just a mere puppy who ran away and he will stop at nothing to get her back.

The odds are, however, stacked against Logan and the ailing Xavier – especially when Caliban has been taken hostage. What happens next is a showdown of graphic bloodbath. Taking a cue from last year’s “Deadpool” killing spree, the berserker-raging beast within Wolverine is unleashed. He drops multiple f-bombs, punctures baddies’ skulls, and then lacerates their limbs.

Having said that, there is a distinct difference between the 2 “X-Men” films. As The Verge‘s Tasha Robinson points out, “Deadpool” finds cynical, bitter, and playful humour even in the most miserable situations.

“Logan”, on the other hand, embraces its misery, positing a world where heroism and even kindness are always brutally punished, and yet personal connection is the only meaningful resource left to its characters.

Another surprise, we must say, lies in Keen’s performance. We see Laura/X-23 matching Wolverine’s violence slice for slice with her own set of razor-sharp claws against a troop of adversaries. Whether she’s eating a bowl of cereal, screaming in rage, or sucking a bullet out of her arm before spitting it out casually, Keen – in her first big-screen role – is electrifying as Laura.

Similarly, Patrick Stewart is equally compelling as Xavier as he alternates between tenderness and profane gusto. It is during his moments of clarity where we get to see him still harbouring the desire to shape the future for the better. The movie is emotionally the strongest when the trio are sharing a scene together.

Of course, “Logan” is not without its flaws. The villains here, being pretty one-note, are somewhat disappointing. More over, the one person (don’t worry, we won’t spoil it for you) that can supposedly take down Wolverine essentially served no purpose. It was pointless to bring this character back from Wolverine’s past.

But all of that can be forgiven with Jackman giving one of his best performances to date as Wolverine. Not only does “Logan” provides an in-depth look into the titular character’s inner turmoil between his humanity and destructive nature, but his solo outing here is also grounded.

It’s ironic that the best Wolverine movie is without “Wolverine” in its title. Of all the “X-Men” films that have been released, this is by far the saddest and most serious. If this is truly Jackman and Stewart’s mutual swan song in playing these iconic “X-Men” characters, the pair certainly did go out on a high note.

While the weight of the graphic violence may hang over throughout the film, it is the daring emotional moments that linger longer. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself shedding a tear or two on your way out.

P/s: There is no end credits scene for “Logan”, but feel free to remain in the hall if you wish.

“Logan” is currently showing in local cinemas.

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

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Muslim-Only Launderette Owner Regrets Controversial Signage Upon Hearing Johor Sultan’s Decree

Upon hearing news of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s decree to remove the controversial Muslim-only signboard, the owner of the launderette apologised for his actions.

“I regret the issue and I will obey His Majesty’s command,” he said, adding that he has taken down the sign yesterday (Wednesday, 27th September 2017) morning.

The self-service launderette in Muar, Johor, first drew attention for placing an “Only For Muslims” signage at its entrance. The sign read, “Dobi Ini Hanya Menerima Pelanggan Beragama Islam Sahaja Atas Faktor Kesucian” (Translation: This launderette only accepts customers who are Muslims due to the sanctity factor). It also asks customers to remove their shoes before entering the launderette.

Needless to say, it caused quite a stir, with scores of Malaysians calling it out to be racist, fanatical, discriminating, and unnecessary.

Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar earlier ordered the launderette to stop its practice or risk being shut down. “I cannot accept this nonsense. This is Johor, which belongs to Bangsa Johor (Johoreans) and it belongs to all races and faiths. This is a progressive, modern and moderate state. This is not a Taleban state and as the Head of Islam in Johor, I find this action to be totally unacceptable as this is extremist in nature,” he said.

“From now on, I am directing the state executive council and all the councils to insist that any business owners who carry out such blatant discriminatory practices should have their licences revoked. Don’t mess around with your narrow-minded religious prejudices,” he added.

Source: The Straits Times / Featured image: Facebook.


(UPDATE) #Bolt: Instagram Launches Messaging App

A few weeks ago, screen shots of a suspicious looking promo banners for a “test app” emerged on the interwebs. In the pictures, it looked like Instagram was advertising “one tap photo messaging” function.

If the idea behind it being a “one tap photo messaging” app sounds familiar to you, it’s because one such app already exists. And it’s none other than Snapchat.

Snapchat isn’t extremely popular where we are. It’s basically an app where users send “Snaps” (take photos, record videos, add text and drawings) and send them to a controlled list of recipients. The catch is, however, that users can set a time limit (ranging from 1 – 10 seconds) for how long recipients can view their Snaps. After which, the Snaps will self-destruct.

Now, Instagram has quietly unveiled Bolt for iOS and Android. Built on the similar modal as Snapchat, the app lets you quickly send a photo (or video) to a friend, which then disappears once it’s been read. To send a photo, tap on a friend’s face. To send a video, long-press on a friend’s face.

Here’s the thing though: The app is only available in New Zealand, Singapore, and South Africa for now.

The Verge got first dibs deets from an Instagram spokesperson who said, “We’re going to other regions soon, but are starting with handful of countries to make sure we can scale the experience. Instagram has 65% of its users overseas, so an international launch, while different, is actually not all that out of order with what we do.”

The spokesperson also elaborated that the 3 countries were chosen for their geographical diversity, but also for their tight-knit communities, which Bolt hopes to piggyback on. Oh, now we get why Bolt was rolled out in all its royal secrecy, since it’s not available to most countries yet. Perhaps it’ll come to us soon?

It has come to our attention that Bolt has been made available in Malaysia! We spotted the suspicious yet familiar looking icon in the Google Play Store just yesterday (iPhone users go here). So, we downloaded it and it’s legit, you guys. It works!

Refer to this gallery for the step-by-step:

Our take? It’s fun, for now. We especially like how you can set your privacy to disallow people from finding you by your phone number or add any pesky senders to a blocked list.

We foresee spending the entire weekend playing with the app, to see just how much we can do with it. Who else would use this app though? Would you?

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Biebs & Taylor Swift-ly Dominates The 2012 MTV EMAs

One of the biggest and most star-studded MTV award nights took place in Frankfurt just hours ago, leaving behind a throng of happy Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift fans. Both stars took home three MTV Europe Music Awards respectively for some of the categories that they were nominated for.

For Taylor, the categories were “Best Female”, “Best Live”, and “Best Look”. Justin, on the other hand, took home honours for “Best Male” for the second year in a row, “Best Pop”, and “Best World Stage”.

Some Rihanna fans were also left reeling with shock when the singer failed to pick up a single award out of the six categories that she was nominated for.

On a lighter (and K-Pop-pier) note, this year’s MTV EMAs was made explosive when horse-riding-dance star took the stage and performed “Oppa Gangnam Style” live in front of an audience of 7,000 people. Sporting a sparkly blue jacket, Psy officially created history and became the first South Korean artiste to have ever performed at the MTV EMAs.

When interviewed backstage, he said, “This is beautiful. This is very first time to participate, perform, be nominated, as an Asian artiste, as a Korean artiste, so I don’t know what to say”. (Source)

Psy then took home his first ever MTV EMA award for “Best Video”. Didn’t we once say that it was a hostile takeover? Props to Psy for putting K-Pop on the map!

Best Song: Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”

For more information, visit their official website.


Mid Week Special Pres. Hard Rock Sofa

Hard Rock Sofa started as a dance music trio in 2005 in their hometown of Smolensk (Russia) before becoming a very popular international dance duo. These two guys are both DJs & producers, with a very unique sound, often quoted as “«Russian House Music»”.

Since a few years, their tracks & remixes are supported and played by the best international DJs (Tiësto, David Guettа, Pete Tong, Armin Van Buuren, Afrojack, Avicii & Swedish House Mafia to name a few).

In the last seven years,, Hard Rock Sofa has released more than 30 singles and 80 remixes, all signed to major European & American EDM labels. They are used to occupy the top-selling charts from all leading music platforms. In 2011, Hard Rock Sofa teamed up with another Russian house band, Swanky Tunes.

One of their most remarkable collaborations was the dance cover version of “I Wanna Be Your Dog” by The Stooges, released by Sander Van Doorn on his label:

[youtube id=”JzNc5XnN8-s” width=”600″ height=”350″]

In 2012, the guys released many big tracks (“Quasar” on Axtone records was one of their biggest releases, fully supported by Swedish House Mafia) and were invited to collaborate with more and more big names. On the DJing side, Hard Rock Sofa are really in demand. They are touring Europe & US several times a year, performing in the greatest clubs and biggest festivals.

Ticket Entry: RM35 Ladies / RM45 Men (inc 1 drink)

Bottle Entry: RM373 / 4 pax (Before 11pm)

Reservations*: Please call 03-2171 1997 (12pm – 6pm) or 0163323191 (after 6pm) or email rsvn@zoukclub.com.my

For more information, hit up Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur’s official website or their Facebook page.

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“Avengers: Age of Ultron”: #Marvel Heroes Assembled Again

While 2015 is unofficially the year for horror films, Marvel’s Avengers movie franchise is set to blow up the international box office with its sequel, “Avengers: Age of Ultron”!

Entertainment Weekly released exclusive photos from the set of “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, which consists of the Marvel heroes with the new Avengers, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.

The sequel centres on the robot Ultron that was created to protect the world but later became one of the greatest threats to the Marvel universe. And of course, this is why the Marvel heroes are required to assemble again – to stop Stark’s own creation from destroying the world.

In the comic book version, Ultron was originally created by a scientist Dr. Henry Pym and fought with Avengers to conquer the world. But for the film version, the creator was changed to Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) instead as it was his plan to let the superheroes rest easy while Ultron the artificial intelligence protects the world.

The villainious character will be voiced by the award-winning actor James Spader while the new Avengers Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch will be portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen respectively. The film is directed by Joss Whedon, starring Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, and Don Cheadle.

And if that wasn’t enough Marvel news for you, check out which character will soon be turned into a female and which other character will be replaced with an African-American. At least in the comic book version.

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” is scheduled for a May 2015 release. It will be released in Malaysia on April 30th, 2015.


#SwankyTunes: Russian Trio Reveals Preview For Upcoming Track, “LOV3”

Swanky Tunes’ presence in musical landscape is undeniable. Highlighting a charged path from Moscow to Miami, the Russian innovative trio have been known to amplify the progressive and electro house sound.

From their early releases to their current single “LOV3”, Swanky Tunes are showing no signs of slowing down! Whether it be in the studio, on stage, or the global music charts, the Showland label headliners are at the forefront of electronic dance music.

With their uplifting anthemic sound, the Smolensk based music pioneers deliver dance floor bangers to nightclubs and festivals around the globe. Swanky Tunes have performed on worldwide stages including Laidback Luke’s Super You & Me at Tomorrowland, Sensation White, Ultra Music Festival, Global Gathering, Electric Daisy Carnival and more.

Let’s not forget that they’ve performed at Tiësto’s Club Life at Pacha Ibiza, the Swedish House Mafia One Last Tour, and Avicii’s Le7els tour. In addition, Swanky Tunes also held down a residency at XS Las Vegas.

It’s safe to say that their named as well as their music has long since put them on the map of the dance music industry. And for good reason, because the Russian trio has produced some of the finest dance floor bangers to date – and “LOV3” is no different ;)

It’s a feel good tune you’ll have on repeat for days to come. Check it:

“LOV3” has since seen support from the biggest dance music names such as David Guetta, Dannic, R3hab, and Bobina, just to name a few. It’ll be officially released on 20th April.

For more information, visit Swanky Tunes’ Facebook page.


CL To Make Debut As Hollywood Actress In “Mile 22”

We have good news for all you CL fans out there!

The idol will be making her Hollywood debut through the movie “Mile 22”. This was confirmed by YG Entertainment themselves.

The movie is directed by Peter Berg, who is responsible for works like “Deep Water Horizon” and “Patriot’s Day”. It is an action thriller that will tell the story of a CIA agent working with Indonesian police forces while trying to fight an international crime syndicate.

Apart from CL, other actors involved in the film are Mark Wahlberg, Lauren Cohan, John Malkovich, Iko Uwais, and Ronda Rousey.

The former 2NE1 member will be taking the role of “Queen”, a killer employed by the global crime syndicate “Overwatch”. Although CL had a cameo appearance in the film “Girl Friends” back in 2009, this will be her first time taking up a serious movie role.

After 2NE1 disbandment, CL was reported to be preparing for her US debut. She signed with Scooter Braun’s agency and dropped “Doctor Pepper”, “Hello Bitches” and “Lifted”. However, fans are still waiting for her solo album.

On the bright side, at least we’ll be seeing CL on the big screens!

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9 Superhero Movies That Are Coming Out In 2018

2017 was filled with superhero movies. Wolverine hung up his claws for good with “Logan“, we got our first female superhero film in a long time with “Wonder Woman“, and reboots like “Power Rangers“.

The good news is, 2018 shows no sign of slowing down. Marvel is set to follow the trend by releasing 3 more blockbusters including the highly-anticipated “Avengers: Infinity War”. With 9 superhero films releasing this year, including 3 sequels, it goes to show that this particular genre is stronger than ever.

Mark your calendars for these superhero flicks:

“Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther’ follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.”

Get to know more about the “Black Panther” heroes and villains here.

“The New Mutants” appears to be venturing into the psychological and physiological terrors that haunt 5 young mutants. Unlike the Marvel original comics, it doesn’t seem like these young mutants are at Charles Xavier’s school. Instead, the teenagers seem to be confined in an eerie asylum where they’re kept in cells and observed for study. As Dr. Cecilia Reyes explains, baby rattlesnakes are more deadly than the adults because they have no control over their venom yet. Likewise, the mutants are seemingly trapped because they’re dangerous.

Update: There is word that the film has been delayed by 10 months and will only be released on 22nd February 2019.

Said to be the culmination of everything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since 2008’s “Iron Man”, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (together with the Guardians of the Galaxy) will face off against Thanos and his personal team, the Black Order, in an epic showdown. The Avengers and their superhero allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful the Mad Titan before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

“After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfil his dream of becoming Mayberry’s hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavour – finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World’s Best Lover.”

Deadpool even has a word of advice for all you peeps. As he says at the end of the trailer, “Keep your pants dry and your dreams wet and remember hugs not drugs.”

The first teaser is not a massive trailer, but it does offer a little idea about the upcoming sequel’s plot and tone. The teaser focuses on 2 members from the Parr family: Mr. Incredible and the youngest Parr of the bunch, baby Jack Jack.

If you remember, Jack Jack’s powers didn’t manifest until the closing scene in the 2004 animation when he was kidnapped by the supervillain Syndrome . The sequel will pick off immediately where “The Incredibles” left off. Babies are already quite destructive in their normal state. This trailer shows us that just how dangerous babies with superpowers can be.

“As Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a superhero and a father while trying to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from their past.”

Step aside Spider-Man, Venom will be facing off against a new antagonist in his solo spin-off called Carnage. Venom has always been viewed as Spider-Man’s longtime nemesis, so it’s hard to think of him as one of the good guys. However, if you think Venom is bad enough, Carnage is worst. He’s known to be one of the most ruthless and violent villains. In comics, Venom ends up joining forces with Spider-Man together with Black Cat, Cloak, and Dagger, in order to defeat Carnage.

“X-Men: Dark Phoenix” will revisit the Jean Grey/Phoenix saga. “Game of Thrones” actress Sophie Turner will be reprising the titular role. You may remember that “X-Men: Apocalypse” established that she was already wrestling with some deep, hidden powers, which she used to defeat En Sabah Nur. This movie will show us how she came to host the Phoenix. The film then becomes a fight for Jean’s soul as the Phoenix seeks to control her mind and divide the X-Men.

The brooding Aquaman/Arthur Curry made his official sassy debut in last year’s “Justice League” but DC’s lord of the seas will look slightly different as we delve into his own solo feature. The Atlantean King will be forced to reconcile his loyalties to the surface world with his role in the undersea kingdom of Atlantis, while trying to maintain peace among the Atlanteans.

Out of all the superhero blockbusters listed here, which ones are you most excited to watch? Let us know in the comments below.

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#AnimalCruelty: Owner Slammed For Tattooing Dog, Claiming To Protect It From Cancer

A shocking photo of a dog with tattoos has caused an outrage on social media.

In the image below, the bull terrier appears to have 5 tattoos on different parts of its body. The picture shows tattoos of an anchor, a knuckleduster and a diamond on its nose, a pair of star tattoos just below its eyes, as well as the logo of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on both ears.

It wasn’t until Brazilian lawyer Fernanda Soares shared the image online that it started to spread like wildfire on social media, with many netizens slamming the dog’s owner for animal cruelty. According to sources, the owner quickly deleted the photo after he became a target of several online campaigns.

The bull terrier’s owner has been identified as Emerson Damasceno, a tattoo artist from Poços de Caldas in Brazil. Strangely enough, Damasceno insisted that he tattooed his pet because he believed that the tattoos will protect the furry animal from cancer.

Damasceno’s girlfriend also defended her beau on social media, claiming that the pet was only inked after being seen by experienced vets in the city of Posos de Caldas, Brazil.

However, the couple’s claims have since been rubbished by several prominent veterinary experts. Vets have countered Damasceno’s claim, stating that tattoos have no such benefits and it can even cause health issues.

No word yet if the Brazilian tattoo artist is being investigated on animal abuse.

What do y’all think? Did Damasceno had the right to tattoo his dog? Let us know in the comments below.


Splash Out Langkawi: 12 Thrill Rides To Enjoy At This Water Park

After months of anticipation, the Isle of Langkawi launched the soft opening of what is to be its first themed water park, yet another attraction for the ultimate year-round tourist destination. Wholesome fun is in store for families and friends at Splash Out Langkawi, making the water park the perfect choice for a day’s retreat together with loved ones.

Spread across 12 acres, Splash Out opened its doors on 15th December 2019. Designed with a classic coastal architecture at the forefront of Kuah Town, which is approximately 16.4km from Langkawi International Airport, Splash Out is set to be a new water craze in Langkawi, a tourism attraction that will be experienced by hundreds of thousands of families within Malaysia and tourists alike.

Staying true to the relaxed and scenic island of Langkawi, Splash Out Langkawi is designed as a magical and fantastical kingdom, inspired by seafarers exploring the seven seas. Boasts an immersive 12 thrill seeker slides and rides befitting a seafarer’s adventure: Ragin’Racers, Splash-Tacular, Shipwreck Falls, Splash Twister, Poseidon’s Revenge, Perfect Storm, Big Splash Kingdom, Wild Water, Rainbow Rider, Splash-Python, Sprinkle Island and River of Life.

Slides not for the faint hearted! Experience the adrenalin rush on the Perfect Storm, a 40-degree parabolic funnel-shaped ride on a raft with a kaleidoscope twisting effect before splashing down to ground level or head to Ragin’ Racers and slide down at top speeds of 50km/per hour.

The Splash-Tacular provides the adrenalin junkie with an unforgettable slide experience accelerated by hydro jets and plummeting into a black hole of visual effects. Add on to your thrill with the Shipwreck Falls, where you will experience a steep drop before propelling vertically uphill and thereafter a reverse and ending into a splash pool. Get ready and catch the intergalactic Poseidon’s Revenge, as you slide at top speeds accelerated by an uphill hydro jet that ultimately plummet into a black hole of visual effects.

After a thrilling experience, wade in the 6ft Wild Water wave pool or head over to the River of Life, a safer and gentle ride for the entire family. Enjoy a gentle tumble and splash along the 330 meters lazy stretch of “river” in inflatable floats or just get drenched over 250 litres of water in Big Splash Kingdom. Kids will enjoy the interactive water playground Sprinkle Island which offers the little ones a safe and fun splash beneath water sprinklers.

In addition to the many spills and thrills, the water park also features 3 Food and Beverage dining outlets, East India Coffee & Tea Company and the Bass Harbour Outpost & Supply Retail Shop. Additional carts and kiosks featuring snacks, treats and drinks will be splashed throughout the water park.

Splash Out Langkawi is a family friendly water park with facilities and services such as strollers, lockers, first-aid room, changing & nursing rooms and prayer rooms.

For hotel accommodation, just head over to the 275 rooms Bella Vista Waterfront Langkawi, located adjacent to Splash Out. Grab the Splashcation Package at RM649 for a 2 Days/1 Night stay in our Family Room, inclusive of buffet breakfast and admission ticket for 2 adults and 2 children. Splash Out Langkawi also intends to play host to corporate events, company team building, school field trips.

The details to Splash Out Langkawi are as follows:

For more information, visit their official website here.

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CONTEST: Resident Evil Retribution Movie Screening

Firstly, happy Merdeka, peeps! In celebration of Malaysia’s 55th birthday, boy do we have a surprise for you – in the form of an exclusive premiere screening. What? Us? Run out of movie screenings? Never!

Well, not yet, at least. Thanks to the wonderful people from TGV Cinemas, we have 10 pairs of exclusive Resident Evil: Retribution premiere screening invites to giveaway to our lucky readers.

Venue: TGV Club, TGV Cinemas Sunway Pyramid

But wait, hang on. Before that, we think Milla Jovovich has a message for you:

[youtube id=”BYeUsi6LJsk” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Yup! She’s personally inviting all y’all to catch the film in TGV Cinemas!

Also, the “Resident Evil: Retribution” premiere will be happening next week at TGV Sunway Pyramid and, get this, it will also be attended by gorgeous Chinese actress Li Bingbing. She plays the character Ada Wong in the fifth installment of the Resident Evil film series.

How about that? A chance to catch the film before anyone else and rub shoulders with the film celeb?  Here’s what you gotta do:

2. Share this post with the following message, “Let’s go kick butt at the exclusive Resident Evil: Retribution premiere screening with Hype Malaysia + TGV Cinemas, Sunway Pyramid + Li Bingbing!”

3. Remember to include the needed tags i.e. Hype Malaysia & TGV Cinemas, Sunway Pyramid

4. E-mail the link of your shared post to submit@hype.my.

Then pray hard because you might be in the running to snag a pair of those tickets!

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

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

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

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

5. Submissions close on the 4th September 2012 (Tuesday).

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

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The Cadbury Dairy Milk Taxi Wants To Pick You Up!

Malaysians will be pleasantly surprised today when the country’s #1 chocolate brand, Cadbury Dairy Milk, treats them to a “magical” ride in the Cadbury Dairy Milk Taxi in celebration of World Happiness Day as observed by the United Nations.

Decked in purple and white candy stripes and magical gold accents, The Cadbury Dairy Milk Taxi will be dashing around Klang Valley picking up and dropping off busy city dwellers within its route – for free. Yes, that means it could be picking you up randomly, if you’re lucky enough to spot it!

No ordinary cab, the Cadbury Dairy Milk Taxi is aimed to evoke the most joyful feelings in Malaysians and to amplify that positive mood on the meaningful day.

On the inside of the unique taxi, passengers will not only be able to savour the taste of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolates but passengers will be enveloped in the sweet scent of chocolate wafting through the air, stirring happy and sweet memories.

The Cadbury Dairy Milk Taxi will be whizzing around central Kuala Lumpur on 20th March (Wednesday) from 8:30am till 8:30pm. If you were one of the lucky one to have gotten the chance to ride in the Cadbury Dairy Milk Taxi, remember to share your experience on their Facebook page!

Alternatively, you could also tweet @CadburyMY and hashtag your tweets with #worldhappinessdayMY.

Note: World Happiness Day is observed by the United Nations on 20th March annually since 2012. It’s an effort by the United Nations to promote happiness and to achieve a universal goal and aspirations to improve the lives of people around the world. In the United Nation’s World Happiness Report, Malaysia was placed second most happy nation in Southeast Asia.


Hong Kong Star Julian Cheung Coming To Malaysia This August

Hong Kong singer-actor Julian Cheung (張智霖) or better known by his stage name Chilam will be coming to Malaysia for 2 days this August to meet his fans.

The 47-year-old TVB star will be in the country at 2 different venues to promote Asia’s leading jewellery brand TSL Jewellery (謝瑞麟).

Cheung will be having an exclusive meet-and-greet session with the top 10 spenders of TSL Jewellery on 8th August 2019 at Pavilion KL’s Centre Court area for TSL The Expressions of Love event.

After that, he will be heading to Penang for a TSL Private Party on 9th August 2019 at Gurney Plaza mall.

This will be the second time Cheung goes to Penang. The first time he went there was to shoot “The Leakers” (泄密者) movie where he played a Malaysian cop.

During the promotion of the movie, Cheung mentioned that working in Penang is an unforgettable experience for him especially with all the delicious local delicacies there.


Sakura Galore! 8 Fun Activities To Enjoy At Tokyo Street In Pavilion KL

Just because you can’t travel to Japan right now doesn’t mean you can’t witness the blooming of elusive cherry blossoms right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

In conjunction with Tokyo Street’s 9th anniversary, Pavilion KL’s award-winning precinct has been transformed into a dynamic cultural ambience. Taking inspiration from Asakusa, Ginza and Shibuya, you’ll find plenty of Japanese cultural activities to explore.

A post shared by Pavilion KL (@pavilionkualalumpur)

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

A post shared by 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐞 | 葉靜儀 𝚈𝚊𝚙 𝙲𝚑𝚒𝚗 𝚈𝚎𝚎 (@sweetieyee)

For rewards and other ongoing promotions, check out Pavilion KL’s website.

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Our Favourite Christmas Shopping Mall Decorations For 2020

It’s Christmas time and the one thing that will immediately transport you to Santa’s festive home in the North Pole is Christmas decorations!

A bright star on top of a tree, a shiny bauble and some mistletoe – what more do you need to make it feel like Christmas? Anyone who has ever hung up any Christmas decoration knows exactly what it feels like when your home transforms into a place of warm and joyous Christmas spirit.

This 2020, the North Pole and our homes are not the only places you can delight in the merry sights of Christmas decorations. Many malls in Klang Valley have also decked their halls with boughs of holly, so do pay them a visit if you want to enjoy the holiday spirit.

With a bright 30-foot golden Christmas tree at the very centre of all the festive cheer, shoppers are invited to reminisce and recapture “Golden Christmas Memories” in Pavilion KL with plenty of picture-perfect moments at every turn. Visitors can also shop for some lovely gifts at the Christmas Market.

Pavilion KL also hosts a unique reinterpretation of ‘luminarie’ from their notable vendor’s DiorCruise 2021 show. Located at the Main Entrance, Level 3, the brightly lit luminaire looks like a real life portal in the world of the Nutcracker, Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman. The Dior Holiday Tree is the first-of-its-kind in Southeast Asia and one of only three of such trees to be displayed globally this year alongside Taipei and Paris.

“Christmas is one of the most highly-anticipated times of the year and we promise yet another round of special, magical and uplifting celebrations for all, regardless of race and religion. This year, Pavilion REIT Malls wishes to spread positivity and uplift communities, with a message of joy, happiness and hope as 2020 draws to a close and we look ahead optimistically to 2021. We invite shoppers to immerse in the festivities and enjoy themselves this season, and on behalf of the management, I wish everyone a joyous Christmas and a blessed New Year,” said Dato’ Joyce Yap, CEO of Retail, Pavilion REIT Malls.

A post shared by The Gardens Mall, KL (@thegardensmallmy)

The Gardens Mall has gone bigger and better with its Christmas decorations this December. Just looking at their telephone booths aesthetically overflowing with festive decorative pieces also makes our hearts overflow with the Christmas spirit. The beautiful wreaths put up for taking photographs, festively decorated cars perfect to pose beside and fairy lights hanging from the ceiling to resemble twinkling snow, the Gardens Mall is the ideal place to embrace the holiday spirit.

A post shared by Mid Valley Megamall (@midvalleymegamall)

Red baubles, red ribbons and Rudolph’s red nose; Mid Valley Megamall is red galore this Christmas season and we love it! There’s also classic red cars propped up around the mall to give the Christmas decorations a festively vintage feeling. The mall’s famous red telephone booth, which has been put up multiple times, is also our all-time favourite decorative item from this popular mall. If you don’t already have a picture of yourself standing next to this iconic photo booth, it’s time for you to head on over and snap some holiday shots!

Sunway Putra Mall is also celebrating a ‘Blessed Christmas’ this 2020! With fireplaces, a clocktower and elegantly wrapped Christmas gifts, the decorations at Sunway Putra Mall create a nostalgic feeling that brings back sweet memories of celebrating the season with family and friends. Ring in the festive cheer and joy during this season of giving at Sunway Putra Mall.

A post shared by Sunway Pyramid (@sunway_pyramid)

Sunway Pyramid is celebrating a ‘Blessed Christmas’ with Lion, which means the spirit of counting our blessings during this season of gratitude. While looking ahead to new beginnings, Sunway Pyramid is moving away from the usual Christmas decoration themes this year, and has creatively used a festive clocktower as its centrepiece. With stars hanging from the ceiling and Christmas trees full of of colour, Sunway Pyramid is truly made to look like it’s the lion’s favourite time of the year!

A post shared by Fahrenheit88 Shopping Mall (@fahrenheit88)

Fahrenheit88’s “Joy Of Gifting” highlights:

Da Men USJ’s “SANTAstic Christmas” highlights:

Santa has decided to skip his usual one-night gifting trip and opt for a summer vacation at Avenue K. Visitors can find Santa simply chilling on a deck chair in his Hawaiian-styled shirt and Bermuda shorts next to a funky 15-foot tall, triple-tiered surfboard tree accented with fairy lights.

Joining Santa are the Gingerbread Man, Rudolph the reindeer, and Mrs Claus – all decked out in their swim attire. There’s also Santa’s seasid marketplace filled with holiday goodies, decorative items, gifting accessories, and more!

A post shared by Berjaya Times Square KL (@berjayatimessquarekl)

A post shared by KL EAST MALL (@kleastmall)

Head on over to these malls for your year end shopping spree and take advantage of these amazing Christmas décor to snap some nice photos ;)

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#ChefWan: Local Celebrity Chef Responds To “Biggest Bowl Of Laksa Sarawak” Controversy

On 28th October, Plaza Merdeka shopping mall in Kuching set the “Malaysia Book of Records” for “The Biggest Bowl of Laksa Sarawak” for the launching of its food hall.

After the attempt, it was reported that the mall had decided to throw the giant dish away because it was “unhealthy for human consumption”.

Upon hearing the news, netizens slammed the mall, the event’s organiser, and its guests of honour, including local celebrity chef Datuk Redzuawan Ismail aka Chef Wan. In response to netizens, Chef Wan took to Instagram to write a lengthy note, explaining that the laksa’s kuah bersantan (soup containing coconut milk) turned rancid and that’s why the laksa has to be thrown away.

“Malaysians are quick at judging and forming their own opinions on any issues these days I noticed,” said the chef, before adding that people like to find fault in others without finding out the real problem.

He continued, “Its a disgusting attitude a true reflection of a rude society as if we don’t have our parents to teach us! (…) Totally a waste of time to entertain them as I will not put myself at their level. Walk away and have a peaceful mind lagi la baik (better) for my soul!”

In an earlier Instagram post, the well-known cook mentioned that he didn’t cook the laksa and was not aware that the organisers had decided to throw away the contaminated food.

According to various media reports, the record-breaking bowl of noodles took 18 hours to make and it was equivalent to 1,500 bowls of Laksa Sarawak, containing 100kg of laksa paste, 225kg of rice noodles, 90kg of prawns, 1,008 eggs, 90kg of bean sprouts, and 80kg of chicken. The event was certified by “Malaysia Book of Records” deputy general manager Mohamad Alex Edward and witnessed by State Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.

What do you think about Chef Wan’s reply? Do you think that the organisers did the right thing by throwing away the spoiled food? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Sources: MMO, Malaysiakini, The Borneo Post, Chef Wan’s Instagram.


Disney Releases 11 Character Posters From The Lion King Remake

Now that most of us have watched the live-action of “Aladdin” on the big screen, Disney is shinning the spotlight on another classic remake – “The Lion King”.

Will Disney be able to recreate the same magic from the 90s animation? That remains to be seen. But in celebration of Pride Rock’s royal family, we do have 11 brand new individual character posters that carefully blends live animals and CGI effects.

By using state-of-the-art virtual-reality tools, Jon Favreau (who previously directed “The Jungle Book”) explains that “The Lion King” will honour the animated version while introducing live action elements.

“We’re staying very, very close to what you think it’s gonna be. I think part of it is just understanding the way memory works. What expectations are and then being able to do things like, ‘I think we can (improve) the humour here, I don’t think this joke holds up as well, I think we could change the characterisation of this character to feel more consistent with the rest of the film, or more current (so it) doesn’t feel like it’s something from a different era’,” Favreau said.

The filmmaker added, “It depends how well you know it (too). How much did we change in ‘Circle of Life’? You know, some of you might say, ‘Oh that’s shot for shot,’ but if we really look, it’s not. But, what you remember is gonna be in the movie.”

“Between the quality of the rendering and the techniques we’re using, it starts to hopefully feel like you’re watching something that’s not a visual effects production but something where you’re just looking into a world that’s very realistic,” he continued.

“And, emotionally, feels as realistic as if you’re watching live creatures. And that’s kind of the trick here because I don’t think anybody wants to see another animated ‘Lion King’, because (the original) still holds up really, really well,” Favreau explained.

A lot of people were taken aback at how realistic Pumbaa looks, calling it “downright ugly”. On the other hand, some were amused that Timon is a meerkat.

To accompany the newly-released posters, Disney also released a fresh 30-second television spot along with some movie stills to wet our appetites. Scroll down:

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Hype’s Movie Review: The Beautiful Renewal Of An Old Fairy Tale Titled, “Cinderella”

When you think “Disney”, you think beautiful princesses, charming princes, happily ever afters, a dash of magic, and maybe a dusting of fairy dust. And it seems that Disney is keeping the remake momentum going after having released “Maleficent” and “Into the Woods“. That having said, while “Maleficent” scored big points with me, largely due to the fact that it was based off the 1959 Disney classic “Sleeping Beauty” and its excellent casting choices, the same can’t be said about “Into the Woods“.

So herein lies the question – did Disney redeem themselves with “Cinderella”? Can Disney sweep aspiring Disney princesses off their feet once again with a fairy tale that has been remade and remade over and over again, and have been done to death?

For starters, I was already swooning over “Cinderella” ever since I first saw the trailer back in November 2014. The generous trailer spanned 2:41 minutes long, offering everyone more than is needed for a first glimpse. Let me just say that the “Cinderella” trailer doesn’t leave any stone unturned because it more or less introduces every single character you’ll see in the movie!

Unlike Disney’s 1950 animated film, the movie opens with a little backstory on how Cinderella came to be, introducing a young Ella (played by Eloise Webb), her parents, while putting a spotlight on their happy family. Ella’s mother (played by Hayley Atwell) is a warm and loving personality, and above all a woman with quite a voice- qualities and values which you’d later see the older Ella (played by Lily James) actually possesses.

Alas, tragedy strikes and her mother takes ill but right before Ella loses her mother, she makes Ella promise to live her life according to a simple motto:

Years after, her father (played by Ben Chaplin) would remarry cold and cruel Lady Tremaine (played by Cate Blanchett), a woman who already has 2 ridiculous-looking, obnoxious daughters named Anastasia (played by Holliday Grainger) and Drizella (Sophie McShrea).

Not long after, Ella’s father aka the family’s sole breadwinner would also tragically pass away, leaving Lady Tremaine no choice but to live economically and hence, dismissing the household’s staff and leaving Ella to pick up after everyone.

As you would guess, they would later nickname her “Cinderella”.

Just in case you were wondering, yes, Disney retained their names from the original “Cinderella” of the 1950s. Including the names of Cinderella’s mice friends e.g. Gus-Gus, Jaq. Actually, they’ve only kinda tweaked a few things. One was the way in which Cinderella and Prince Charming (played by Richard Madden) would meet – and it’s not at the royal ball.

Interestingly, in this film, Prince Charming would also have an actual name!

Anyway, the story then progresses according to the tale as old as time. The King and the Grand Duke organise a ball in an effort to find a suitable wife for Prince Charming. Cinderella hears of the news, wants to attend, and fixes up a gown that belonged to her late mother, only to have it ripped apart by Lady Tremaine. And then comes the other movie tweak –  the Fairy Godmother (played by Helena Bonham Carter).

As seen in the picture above, the character is much larger but also much younger-looking than you would’ve imagined. Especially if you’ve previously based her appearance off the 1950 “Cinderella”.

But I’ll let you discover all of that for yourselves because I don’t want to give away too much ;)

I must say though that the film most certainly belonged to Lily James. She stole the show and my heart with her fair skin, golden blond hair, million-dollar smile, and her spotless pure, innocent, and good portrayal of Ella. Or rather, Cinderella. Why, she even looks stunning in blue, a necessity (in my opinion) if she’s going to play a Disney princess who’s famed for her powder blue ball gown.

It’s safe to say that she could’ve, might’ve, probably outshone Richard Madden (hello Robb Stark!). Oops.

Cate Blanchett, on the other hand, is wicked. Best known as Galadriel in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy as well as “The Hobbit“, it was hard to see her as anything else other than an elven “Lady of Light” at first, but she managed to nail it because in this version of “Cinderella”, the haughty and cruel stepmother gets more script than the 1950 animated film version.

Trust me when I say that you will get to know her (the character) a little bit better, complete with a backstory and all that complicated jazz.

All in all, “Cinderella” director Kenneth Branagh has definitely done good with this one. I wouldn’t have been able to imagine a better retelling of the 1950 “Cinderella” film I watched over and over again when I was a kid. In fact, I’m still mesmerised! Excuse me, I think I might just go watch it again ;)

Disney’s live-action “Cinderella” will be released in a cinema near you on 13th March 2015.

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

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Concert Review: Al McKay & Gang Evoke 70s Music Magic At Arena Of Stars

It’s the eve of Christmas, and there’s no place we would rather be than Resort World Genting. Why? Well apart from being one of Malaysia’s premier tourist destinations, it’s also the place where legendary Al McKay of the iconic trio, Earth Wind And Fire (EWF) performed along with his All-star band in the Arena Of Stars.

Filling up the seats of the arena, the crowd was briefed with all the safety measures of the venue. After that, the screen quickly shifted to a different tone, when the crowd was greeted by a fury of Merry Christmas wishes from a plethora of famous artist from iconic Hong Kong stars, Taiwanese singers and even some local celebrities.

Before the main act make their way on stage, fans were greeted by the opening of the Yuletide carollers, who flew all the way from New York City to add some festive cheers into the arena. Singing some of the most iconic music that Christmas has to offer, the trio manage to fill the entire venue with a sense of homeliness and comfort that only Christmas can bring.

It should be noted that due to some circumstances, the show was officially delayed for half an hour. However, it was all worth the wait when the entire crew of McKay and the gang made it all on stage to play their opening act of an EWF’s classic “Serpentine Fire”. The spectacular performance managed to liven up the whole crowd and also lit up the stage with energy and grooviness.

Taking a moment to address the crowd, the band revealed that they have traveled a long way in order to get to Genting, with them having to stop by Los Angeles and Hamburg before getting here. However, it was all worth it as they invited the audience to come join in on the fun, as they got their groove back on with “Got To Get You Into My Life”.

Feeling themselves tonight, the singers invited the crowd to raise their hands up in the air, which many were happy to oblige. Wanting to get the crowd more involved with the show, the singers also invited the crowd to stand up and move to the beat as they soldier on with their next song, “Saturday Nite”.

Unsatisfied with the situation, the band’s vocalist, Tim Owens, once again implored the crowd to stand up and let loose. He even gave an inspiring speech on how music was one of the last remaining voice that people have when speaking about unity and spreading love. That being said, he told each and everyone member of the audience that were present that night that they were a shining star. This was one of the smoothest segway to their next song, “Shining Star”.

After a few songs, Owens took a minute to give a few words of appreciation to the original EWF member, Al McKay, who not only produced all the timeless classics we heard that night, but also for spreading the message of love to the entire world. Another person that also received a shout out was pianist Ben Dowling, who then played a beautiful solo piano piece to reciprocate the love shown to him.

Continuing on with “Reasons”, the next few songs passed by like a breeze as all the members on stage looked like they were having the time of their lives, and it showed in their music. Getting the crowd on their feet, the performers decided to end the night with a bang. The entertainers delivered a barrage of grooves as they performed, arguably, the 3 most iconic songs of EWF – “September”, “Boogie Wonderland” and “Let’s Groove”.

Approaching midnight, the show had a countdown to the special day. When the clock finally hit 12 midnight, Merry Christmas wishes were exchanged. The band decided to start off the jolliest time of the year with the only way they know how – with music of course.

Slowing things down, they sang a couple of Christmas melodies to truly bring the feeling of Christmas home. After all the songs were done, the crew members gathered in front of the stage to give one last bow and end the show with a big thank you.

All in all, we’re truly blessed to have such music legends to perform on our shores, and we wish that they would consider coming back here again in the foreseeable future.


#FourLoko: What We Know About The Flavoured Alcoholic Drink

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of American fruit-flavoured alcohol, Four Loko.

Known as “斷片酒” (Translation: blackout in a can) and “失身酒” (Translation: virginity losing alcohol) by Chinese netizens, the alcoholic beverage, which has become a big hit in China, contains 12 – 14% ABV (alcohol by volume) and it consists of 10 flavours including lemon, grape, peach, strawberry, mango, apple, and watermelon.

According to Buzz Feed, tens of thousands of cans have been sold on Taobao, one of China’s biggest online shopping platform.

We noticed that the drink has been heavily shared on social media, particularly Facebook, in the past week and many Malaysians are actually selling it via Facebook and WeChat. The price for a can of Four Loko ranges from RM32 to RM50.

Note: Four Loko is not available in major supermarkets.

Created and distributed by Phusion Projects, the company was founded by Ohio State University alums Chris Hunter, Jaisen Freeman, and Jeff Wright in 2005. As students, the 3 had enjoyed mixing alcohol with caffeinated energy drinks.

Looking at the viral posts (some has been shared over 10,000 times), most of the social media content were written in Mandarin. For the curious minds (and the uninitiated), we’ve compiled and translated several facts about the drink that you should know about before trying it, that is, if you can get your hands on it as many sellers claims that they are “running out of stock”.

1. The “Four” in Four Loko refers to the drink’s 4 main ingredients – caffeine, alcohol, Brazilian stimulant guarana, and the animal-derived stimulant taurine.

2. According to the New York Post, Four Loko was banned in several US states (read: Washington, Pennsylvania, Oregon, etc), supposedly drove one consumer to suicide and left a group of college students hospitalised after they mixed it with vodka.

3. Though Four Loko contains only 12 -14% ABV, it is said to have the effect of 6 cans/bottles of beer, 5 glasses of red wine, or 5 glasses of 45° pure whiskey.

4. In 2010, Phusion Projects removed caffeine from their formula and in 2014, the company agreed not to make or sell caffeinated alcoholic beverages in the US. However, in Taobao websites, Chinese retailers claimed that Four Loko contains caffeine.

5. A Phusion Projects spokesman told Quartz recently that the advertisements on Taobao “are not from Phusion Projects and therefore are not associated in any manner with Phusion Projects”, suggesting that the Four Loko marketed in China may be not be authentic.

To see how powerful Four Loko really is, Amy Ng, a popular Hong Kong host, tried it out on air as an experiment for TVB’s news programme, “東張西望” (Scoop).

In the video, she started off by drinking 200ml of the lemon-flavoured Four Loko. 5 minutes after that, she started laughing and crying uncontrollably and 20 minutes later, she dozed off for about 15 minutes. “I only tried 200ml (…) I’d like to remind our viewers to not try it (Four Loko) for fun, especially women,” she said at the end of the segment.

You can check out TVB’s recent Four Loko experiment and judge it for yourself below (the experiment starts at 2:30 mark):

Curiosity killed the cat. We’d like to remind our readers to be wary of what they’re drinking. In addition, drinking something not sold publicly may be dangerous to your body.

What do you think about Four Loko? Would you try it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Sources: Four Loko’s Website, New York Post, Quartz, Buzz Feed News, Lynn Lin’s Facebook page, Vikko Chan’s Facebook page, Washington Post.

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