#SDCC2016: Nothing Prepared Us For This Awesome #LEGOBatmanMovie Trailer

First, we were treated to a closer look at Batfleck Batman/Bruce Wayne (played by Ben Affleck) via the full “Justice League” trailer that director Zack Snyder decided to surprise fans with during the Warner Bros./DC panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC).

Now, we’re getting a glimpse of another, perhaps less serious Batman of a different kind.

If the latest “Justice League” footage was too dark and gritty, well, then this is certainly a breath of fresh air.

Screened at Hall H, the new “The LEGO Batman Movie” trailer offers a closer look at the Caped Crusader (voiced by Will Arnett) in his fully-bricked glory. It also introduces Robin (voiced by Michael Cera), a young orphan that Bruce Wayne accidentally and “sarcastically” (whatever that means) adopted at a charity gala. Robin is seen stumbling around in the Wayne Manor before walking right into the Batcave and then helping himself to an array of costumes.

The Joker (voiced by Zach Galifianakis) and Harley Quinn (blink and you’ll miss her) also makes an appearance in the trailer, as well as the LEGO version of the fan-favourite character, Alfred Pennyworth (voiced by Ralph Fiennes). While we’re loving the use of the traditional version of Harley Quinn, because the characters are all LEGO figures, the Joker looks like he could be more annoying than threatening.

Oh yes, there’s also a fleeting glance at LEGO Barbara Gordon and of course, the Justice League.

We’re 100% appreciating the healthy amount of humour in the new trailer, as one would expect from a LEGO-themed flick. One of our favourite lines from the footage was when, upon walking right into Batman, Robin said, “Wait, does Batman live in Bruce Wayne’s basement?” to which Batman replied in sheer frustration, “No, Bruce Wayne lives in Batman’s attic.”

It’s safe to say that it just keeps better and better for “The LEGO Batman Movie”. Watch:

Directed by Chris McKay, “The LEGO Batman Movie” is set to be released on 10th February 2017.

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


“The Assistant” Embraced GSC The Starling Mall With Star-Studded Gala Premiere Night

The latest film by industry wunderkind Adrian Teh’s “The Assistant” had its star-studded gala premiere on 11th May at GSC The Starling Mall, Petaling Jaya.

The event – held by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Act 2 Pictures – featured attendance from its stars Hairul Azreen, Iedil Dzuhrie, and Henley Hii. In attendance include VIPs like Yang Hormat Dato’ Sri Khalid bin Mohamad Jiwa and wife Dato Sri Siti Nurhaliza.

Packed with action and thrill, “The Assistant” tells the story of the wrongfully imprisoned Zafik (Iedil Dzuhrie) and Feroz (Hairul Azreen) who will help the prior to get revenge after losing everything. Feroz’s true motives is then questioned when he always show up just at the right time.

“The Assistant” has also made history with two International Film Fest Recognition recently. It had its world premiere at the 24th Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy, and was selected to for competition at the international festival which was held from 22nd April to 30th April 2022.

The film received rave reviews during the invitations only gala premiere night. “A new benchmark among Malaysian action film”, said Dato Khairul Anwar Salleh, CEO of Media Prima TV Network. The film also received praise from director Michael Ang: “Great action, powerful performance and one hell of a twist.”

Set to arrive major Malaysian cinemas nationwide this 19th May, “The Assistant” is the fifth collaboration between Adrian Teh and Hairul Azreen after “PASKAL: The Movie” (2018), “WIRA” (2019), “Pasal Kau” (2020), and “Ada Hantu” (2021).

Here’s what fans can look forward to in the upcoming action-packed flick, according to actor Henley Hii:

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

Read more about our exclusive interview with the cast here.

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#SCKLM2017: The Marathon Returns To Kuala Lumpur On 21st May 2017

The annual Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon (SCKLM) is gearing up to seat the roads ablaze next year on 21st May 2017. This was confirmed via a surprise announcement on Facebook.

No further details have been released, but as per the previous years, the marathon will be held at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.

For the deets on what went down during this year’s marathon, which saw a whopping total of 35,000 runners took part across various categories, check out our coverage here.


Fun Facts: 10 Reasons To Watch The All-New Take On Robin Hood

It takes strong minds to pull off epic heists. This week, movie-goers will get to see the rebirth of a 2018 cinematic superhero in “Robin Hood”.

Over the years, we’ve seen various iterations of “Robin Hood” on the big screen. The new version of “Robin Hood” offers a fresh take on the titular hero. The action, the characters and even the costumes all have a unique twist to them.

The press release states that “Robin is a thoroughly modern shadow warrior. He may have been born into privilege as Lord of Loxley, but now he returns from war a haunted veteran who has lost everything, including his one true love Marian. With the help of an equally war-scarred Moor, once his mortal enemy, John, Robin adopts a new alter-ego: as the hooded avenger who strikes at the powerful seeking justice for the people“.

Besides having an all-star cast with impressive resumes, there is a number of reasons to watch “Robin Hood” when it debuts in cinemas worldwide. Thanks to our friends from TGV, we did a little digging and came up with 10 reasons why you should be heading to the theatres to watch “Robin Hood”.

So why is this 2018 version from the rest? Director Otto Bathurst explains, “To me ‘Robin Hood’ had the makings of an utterly contemporary and relevant story. Here’s a guy who seemingly has the perfect and comfortable life and goes off to war, full of ideals, beliefs and passion, but then his eyes are opened to the corruption and evil of the people who are running the world—and it breaks him. It dissolves his faith in his nation and his religion and leaves him disillusioned. We see Robin as a hero, but I wanted to see why and how he became this legend, what it is that burns inside of him and what inspires him to set out to fight with such commitment to the truth.”

He added, “I thought a lot about Robin and who he was in my mind. You don’t become a legend from simply stealing a few bags of money from rich people and giving them to poor people. I mean, that’s a cool thing to do, but it’s not iconic. The real reason ‘Robin Hood’ has been a hero for 800 years is that he was a major thorn in the side of society, of government, of the establishment. That’s why people still love him, because he’s a symbol of that voice out there kicking against the status quo that we are all responsible for allowing. He’s a reflection for all of us in that he isn’t given special powers or born a Superhero, he is simply an everyman who is prepared to do what is needed to bring change and to sacrifice his own comfort for the bigger picture.”

“One of the things that is really important to Leonardo and me is that the films that we’re involved feel special and unique in one way or another. This movie definitely feels really current and vibrant. All the archetypal ‘Robin Hood’ characters you know from the legend are there, but we get to see them through the lens of our lives today and that’s what makes it special,” Jennifer Davisson shared.

She added, “We were intrigued by the script’s originality and fresh take on timeless themes, which fits very well with what we do at our company. This is a complex Robin Hood’. The same way that Bruce Wayne didn’t seek to be a hero, but became one because Gotham City needed a Batman, Robin doesn’t set out to be Robin Hood, but Nottingham needs him to be.”

The entire world in “Robin Hood” was build from scratch. “We wanted to massively redefine Nottingham as a place, to make it feel relatable to a modern audience, to make it feel relevant and important so we took the chance to create something unique. Our Nottingham is a teeming industrial capital full of global influences, a political epicenter and a very powerful stronghold of the church. Break the system here and the repercussions will ripple out,” the filmmaker recalled.

The 28-year-old British heartthrob recalls his childhood days when he used to play Robin Hood in his living room. “Robin Hood is 1 of 2 characters that I had a costume for as a kid— Robin Hood and Superman. I’d jump from sofa to sofa and pretend I was flying and I did that as Robin Hood, as well. I had the little plastic bow and the costume. I always liked him. There’s an idea people have always connected with in Robin Hood: that there can be a noble renegade who acts selflessly for the good of others, which is something I connected with,” Taron Egerton said.

In this storyline, Robin is a war veteran returns home hoping to live a peaceful life. Unfortunately, the inequality and injustice in his hometown compels him to take on the persona of The Hood. “At first, The Hood is a just a disguise through which Robin can hide from who he is. As he merges into this avenging, dark, enigmatic force within Nottingham, he realises The Hood is part of his own being,” the actor explained.

A post shared by Robin Hood – 2018 (@robinhoodmovie)

In this storyline, John is “a Saracen fighter, an Arabic Moor fighting on the opposite side of the Crusades from Robin” and later decides to mentor and train Robin in becoming Robin Hood. “John was a king several years before we meet him, but now he just wants to fight for the memory of his son and fight for what is right. John is a fierce competitor and he sees that same quality in Robin. Both are desperate and have lost everything. Each needs something from the other—and that evolves into a loyal friendship,” Jamie Foxx shared.

Egerton agreed, saying, “What I absolutely love about the relationship with Robin and John is that we start with Robin treating John as an enemy Moor with great disdain. Yet, through their bond, Robin begins to see the error of his viewpoint. Robin starts off cocky, self-loathing and misguided and John channels all those feelings into something constructive. It’s a great relationship, because it has real heart. In one sense, there’s a kind of father-son thing that develops but it’s also two soldiers, brothers-in-arms, realising that they have a bigger idea to fight for.”

The movie is a bromance, but it is also a love story. “Marian is one of the pivotal aspects of this film that I feel most passionately about. She’s a powerful and deeply committed woman, an arrow of truth. Indeed, she is the catalyst for Robin’s whole journey and there is no question that without Marian there would be no Robin Hood, in that it is she who pulls him out of his selfish anger and shows him the true path. Robin has to really, really fight to get her back because our Marian is no swooning damsel! I’m thrilled that our film has such a strong female character,” the filmmaker disclosed.

Played by Ben Mendelsohn, the Sheriff is described as “a complex and daunting villain, an angry, cynical man dripping with inner darkness, hungry for limitless power and wealth, but also seeking to make others suffer as he once did as an orphan”.

So how did Mendelsohn approach this scary character? The Australian actor Sheriff as an “astute political animal, a master manipulator who grew up under the cruel hand of the church and the nobility, leaving him with a venomous hatred of both. He’s a great and vivid character. He believes solely in power, so he’s been busy building his war machine and living his depraved life without any concern for the citizens of Nottingham. His past has led him to develop an incredibly strong survival instinct. Like Robin, he sees that the people in power are full of lies and rubbish, but he decides to go all in as a scumbag to take advantage of it, whereas Robin decides to fight for the people and become a hero.”

Egerton’s character starts off by wielding a traditional English longbow (which all the Crusaders carry). Once John starts training Robin, our hero a recurve bow (a bow that curves away from the archer when unstrung—providing more power and speed to the arrow). “Robin’s bow has nun-chucks across the wrist and knuckles and it also has sharpened tips on the bow so he can slash and stab with it in the middle of a close battle,” teased renowned weapons designer Tim Wildgoose.

“Robin Hood is the very incarnation of archery so it was great fun to be part of this. When people think about archery they usually think about what they have seen in a Robin Hood movie. With this film, we finally had a chance to bring that archery closer to reality and hopefully people will see that archery can be extremely exciting. People are used to seeing a more static archery in films but archery can be incredibly dynamic,” said professional archer Andersen.

“Robin Hood” opens in cinemas 22nd November 2018.

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Did BLACKPINK’s Lisa Plagiarise Mamamoo Hwasa’s Solo Song From 2018 MAMAs?

BLACKPINK’s Lisa (리사) finally made her much-anticipated solo debut with the release of her first single album, titled “LALISA”.

Although a lot of fans have been head over heels with the K-pop dance number, the single received mixed reviews from music critics. Following the release, there were also a few fans who claimed that the melody and the trumpets used in the song sounded a bit familiar.

In particular, a TikToker named Arai Chelsie pointed out that the song’s instruments are almost identical to the one Hwasa used in her solo stage from the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMAs). Due to the similarities in the two songs, people began accusing the Thai idol of plagiarising the trumpet sounds and melody from the Mamamoo member.

Having said that, many BLINKs were quick enough to come to the “Lovesick Girls” hit-maker’s defence. People discovered the evidence that both Lisa and Hwasa used a sample for their tracks, immediately putting an end to the plagiarism accusations.

It turns out that the two songs sampled a track called “Melody Loop Crazy Horns 01 130 Eb,” which was produced by the Brazilian musical group Tropkillaz. The track was released in 2018. Prior to the comparison video made by the TikToker, a user on YouTube previously pointed out that Lisa and Hwasa used the same sample on the former’s MV teaser.

Needless to say, this wasn’t the first time that both Mamamoo and BLACKPINK became embroiled in  plagiarism rumours. Back in 2020, netizens claimed that the opening of Mamamoo’s songs “AYA” and “Dingga” had the same melody as Lisa’s rap part in  “How You Like That.” However, it was later revealed that both groups sampled “KSHMR Middle East GTR Guitar 128 E Arabic.”

In related news about Lisa’s solo debut, TV personality Moddam Kachapa came under massive fire recently for discrediting the success of fellow Thai idols – namely GOT7’s Bambam and 2PM‘s Nichkhun. During the broadcast of the show , the MC talked about Lisa’s record-breaking achievements with “LALISA”, while throwing unnecessary shade towards the aforesaid celebs.

“We’ve never seen a (Thai) superstar go this far. Back then we had Nichkhun, but he wasn’t successful to this degree. We also have Bambam, but he also didn’t manage to get to this far. Lisa’s solo debut is truly world class. It’s finally happened to our country,” Moddam remarked.

Moddam’s opinion, however, didn’t sit too well with netizens. As a result, many have taken to social media to criticise the host for his insensitive comments. Other have also trended the hashtag “#แบนมดดํา” (which roughly translates to “#BanModdam”) on Twitter and urged him to apologise and pay respect to the male idols.

degree, we also have bambam, but he too didn’t manage to get this far. This (lisa’s debut) is what we call world class, truly world class, it’s finally happened to our country.”

— jin ☁ (@peachicnvs) September 11, 2021

Bambam is one of the most humble person and he don't deserve this kind of disrespect. He's one of the most successful Thai idol and worked really hard to achieve what he have today. Respect him and #ApologizeToBamBam#RespectBambam#แบนมดดำ pic.twitter.com/c6mPobqDSB

— mariyam (@gotexoish) September 11, 2021

Stop creating a competition where there is none. Lisa is successful. But so are Bambam and Nickhun. There is more than enough room for these talented artists to be great at the same time. #แบนมดดํา #ApologizeToBamBam pic.twitter.com/LkG8AKFOCX

— aki (indefinite rest) (@ahgasedaily) September 11, 2021

Nichkhun literally opened the gates to k-pop for more foreign idols by winking.https://t.co/X51Of8oaoe

— beatriz (@wooyoungieqtie) September 11, 2021

ahhh omg he says that he’s okay I wanna cry🥺

“I am okay 👍sometimes a lot of people may not be aware of my efforts, but with everyone knowing and understanding me, I am already happy☺”

HE IS THE SWEETEST THING TO EVER EXIST OH MY GOD https://t.co/MHd0hFjzBQ

Even BamBam stepped forward to personally address Moddam’s controversial statement about his success. The “Fly” rapper wrote on his Twitter, “Never mind. Maybe many aren’t aware of my efforts. But everyone (will) gradually recognise it and understand. I’m happy.”

After facing significant backlash from K-pop fans, Moddam later issued an apology on his Instagram account, clarifying that he “didn’t have any negative intentions towards both Bambam and Nichkhun”. He further claimed that he had “failed to think thoroughly before speaking”. Check out the translated version here:

"I never had negative intentions towards the two of them" yet you insulted him + compared him to other idols. that is not a "misunderstanding", that is unprofessional.

shame on you. apologise on tv and retire. @GMM25Thailand #RespectBambam #apologisetobambam #แบนมดดํา pic.twitter.com/yp4rQEtSLo

— Out Of Context GOT7 (@oocseven) September 11, 2021

To echo what fans said, there’s room for everyone to exist.

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Calum Scott’s Kuala Lumpur Concert To Include Mitch James & Diana Danielle

Update (30th September): AEG Presents and PR Worldwide have officially confirmed that Calum Scott’s Kuala Lumpur concert will include New Zealand singer-songwriter Mitch James as the opening act, as well as our very own Diana Danielle. The Malaysian actress-singer will be joining the soulful singer onstage for their duet “Heaven”.

Calum Scott is embarking on his biggest headline Asia tour yet, and good news, he is returning to Malaysia! In case you didn’t know, the soulful singer-songwriter previously held a showcase in Sheraton Petaling Jaya back in March 2019. During the intimate showcase, we got to see Calum perform a couple of his biggest hits.

With the release of his new album “Bridges”, the 33-year-old performer is set to entertain fans with a collection of new songs while walking us down memory lane with his earlier singles. Besides Kuala Lumpur, Calum’s Asia Tour will also include Tokyo, Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta, and Singapore.

A post shared by Calum Scott (@calumscott)

“It feels so incredible to announce my Asia tour! It’s been a long time  coming and a lot of planning but after the last few years we’ve had, you can just tell how excited people are for live music again and I’m so happy to be a part of it. I am coming back with my band to play the songs that people discovered me on, as well as new songs from my second album which I would say is my best and most personal work yet – I can’t wait to see you there,” says Calum.

In conjunction with his highly awaited sophomore album “Bridges” (debuting on 17th June), Calum is also releasing his 4th single “Heaven”. Here’s a fun fact: the single will also feature various artists around Asia – including Malaysian actress-singer Diana Danielle. “As songwriters, we’re always searching for new ways of saying ‘I miss you’ or ‘I love you’ or ‘I want you back,’” says Calum. “The concept of ‘Heaven’ is the love between two people being so powerful that it is far superior to anything else, any other form of paradise that could be offered. I loved the idea of putting the power into the relationship.”

If you’re just as excited about his new music and upcoming tour as we are, here are the details of Calum’s “Bridges World Tour” Kuala Lumpur:

Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, 15th June from 10am onwards via the GoLive Ticketing App or www.golive-asia.com


“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Director J.J. Abrams To Helm “Star Wars: Episode IX”

A week ago, it was announced that “Jurassic World” director Colin Trevorrow had quit “Star Wars: Episode IX” due to “differing visions for the project”. Until today, It is unclear as to what ultimately led to Colin Trevorrow’s exit, as he has yet to comment. But he was attached to the project since August 2015.

And now, a new director has been announced. Well, not “new” new.

J.J. Abrams, the director who successfully rebooted George Lucas’ “Star Wars” with 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens“, will helm 2019’s “Star Wars: Episode IX”, the final film in the sequel trilogy.

In an official statement released via starwars.com, Lucasfilm wrote:

“J.J. Abrams, who launched a new era of Star Wars with The Force Awakens in 2015, is returning to complete the sequel trilogy as writer and director of Star Wars: Episode IX. Abrams will co-write the film with Chris Terrio. Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Abrams, Bad Robot, and Lucasfilm.”

Just in case you’ve forgotten, the multiple award-winning J.J. Abrams was in large part, the reason why “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was so immensely successful. In fact, the film became the third-highest-grossing film of all time behind “Avatar” and “Titanic” when it was released in 2015. J.J. Abrams’ directorial credentials include “Mission: Impossible III”, “Star Trek”, “Super 8”, and “Star Trek Into Darkness“.

“With The Force Awakens, J.J. delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for, and I am so excited that he is coming back to close out this trilogy,” said Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.

Production for “Star Wars: Episode IX” is due to begin in February 2018, and the film is scheduled for release on 24th May 2019.

Source: starwars.com / Featured image: starwars.com.

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Hype Streams: Incredible New Shows & Movies To Watch This December

It’s that time of the year again! Christmas day is drawing closer and closer and during this time of year, we often revisit a lot of Christmas classics like “Home Alone”, “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “It’s A Wonderful Life” and much more. But this time, let’s explore some of the new shows on offer this month!

Heat up the popcorn, grab your favourite pillow, curl up with a loved one, and get ready for a journey to the magical land of streaming platforms!

Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro and award-winning, stop-motion legend Mark Gustafson reimagine the classic Carlo Collodi tale of the fabled wooden boy with a whimsical tour de force that finds Pinocchio on an enchanted adventure that transcends worlds and reveals the life-giving power of love.

One year after moving from Chicago to Paris for her dream job, Emily finds herself at a crucial crossroads in every aspect of her life. Faced with two very different paths, Emily will have to decide exactly where her loyalties lie – at work and in her romantic life – and what those decisions mean for her future in France, all while continuing to immerse herself in the adventures and surprising twists and turns that life in Paris provides.

Chang-Wook is in his 40’s. He works as a translator and a humanities instructor. His wife suffers from terminal bowel cancer. She also has difficulties eating, because of digestive problems. She asks Chang-Wook to cook for her every day, even though the only thing he knows how to make is ramen. Chang-Wook begins to cook for his wife and she eats little bits of his food, which he cooks with love and care.

With great power at stake, a group of rebel mages and thieves goes head-to-head against a sinister force possessing a dangerous artifact. When a heist against the most powerful man in Tevinter goes south, an elven mercenary named Miriam (Kimberly Brooks) is forced into a desperate fight for survival. Now, to save herself and her friends, Miriam will have to confront the tragic past she’s spent a lifetime trying to escape.

“His Dark Materials” returns to an epic conclusion. After the shocking events of Season 2, the third season finds Lyra and Will separated but determined to travel through multiple worlds to find and protect one another. Once reunited, the prophesied child and the bearer of the Subtle Knife must journey to The Land of the Dead, a dark place from which no one has ever returned.

5. “Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area Part 2”

This Korean “Money Heist” remake stars an ensemble cast led by Yoo Ji-tae, Kim Yunjin, and Park Hae-soo. Thieves overtake the mint of a unified Korea. With hostages trapped inside, the police must stop them – as well as the shadowy mastermind behind it all.

Jess Valenzuela, a 20-year-old brilliant and resourceful dreamer, sets off on an exploration to search for answers about her family history. And with the help of her friends, she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about the past and save a lost Pan-American treasure.

A powerful sorceress in a blind woman’s body encounters a man from a prestigious family, who wants her help to change his destiny. In part 2 of this series, Jang Uk becomes a hunter of the soul-swapped, when a young woman, a prisoner in her own home, seeks his help to reclaim her freedom.

Big Bet is an upcoming South Korean streaming television series revolving around a legendary figure in the Philippines’ casino world. “Big Bet” tells the story of a man, once dubbed the king of the casino, who lost his everything in an unfortunate series of events. He returns to the gambling scene, this time betting his life.

Having resigned themself to the fact that they will just end up on someone’s plate, Gudetama just wants to be lazy all the time. But swept up by the go-getting overbearing chick Shakipiyo, they leave the refrigerator and head out into the world. Together, these polar opposites go on an adventure to find their mother!

“Three Pines” is a mystery streaming television series starring Alfred Molina, based on the novel series by Louise Penny centered on Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. This inspector investigates murders seeing things that others do not: the light between the cracks, the mythic in the mundane, and discovers long-buried secrets and faces a few of his own ghosts.

Set in an elven world 1200 years before the world of “The Witcher, Blood Origin” tells a story lost to time – one of seven outcasts who unite against an unstoppable power that took everything from them. Their blood quest gives rise to a prototype Witcher in a conflict that brings about the conjunction of the spheres when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.

Set in Kuge, a fictional Japanese village, “Gannibal” follows newly hired local police officer Daigo Agawa. While things start off promisingly for the new arrival, a series of alarming events begin to unfold that will lead Daigo to the horrifying realization that something is deeply wrong with the village and those who live there. Thrown into a hostile environment with suspense around every corner, will the latest police officer to roam the streets of Kuge village be able to bring those responsible to justice before it’s too late?

To solve the mystery of the “Borderland” and return to his original world, Arisu and his comrades must take on even more difficult and dangerous games. The story follows Arisu and Usagi as they hope to return to their original world by making it through a variety of deadly games. But even if all the cards are in order, will they be able to return to their original world?

This season 3 is a continuation of “Ejen Ali: The Movie”, where Ali is forced to hand over IRIS to MATA. He then participated in the MATA Arena Competition and was introduced to many other trainees from various places. Will he be able to continue his duties as an agent?

In the follow-up to Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out”, tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case. He travels to Greece to peel back the layers of a mystery involving a new cast of colourful suspects.

Christmas Eve takes a twisty turn for the adventurous when the boss baby accidentally swaps places with one of Santa’s elves and gets stranded at the North Pole in Santa Claus’ toy shop. What will Boss baby do? Stay tuned to find out!

At once hilarious and horrifying, lyrical and absurd, ordinary and apocalyptic, “White Noise” dramatises a contemporary American family’s attempts to deal with the mundane conflicts of everyday life while grappling with the universal mysteries of love, death, and the possibility of happiness in an uncertain world.

4. “The Binge 2: It’s A Wonderful Binge”

A funny take from the movie “The Purge”, “The Binge” follows three teenagers preparing to participate in the one day when it’s legal to drink alcohol and take drugs. In this new sequel, The Binge happens miraculously on Christmas. Unleashing a new holiday adventure featuring magical storybooks, catchy songs, and more.

5. “Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery”

Senior Detective Terry Seattle is back and this time, the case is critical. Along with his two celebrity guest stars, Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph, he is on a mission to figure out who killed Santa. But here’s the catch: Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph aren’t being given the script. They have no idea what’s about to happen to them.

A brand new take on the Tony and Olivier award-winning musical. “Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical” tells the story of an extraordinary girl, with a vivid imagination, who dares to take a stand to change her story with miraculous results.

7. “Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again”

Nick Daley, son of Larry, becomes the new Night Guard at the Museum of Natural History. However, when he forgets to lock the basement door, an old foe returns with a new plan to take over the world. “Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again” is the first animated film in the “Night at the Museum” film series and the fourth instalment overall.

Charles Dickens’ ageless legend is reborn in this supernatural, time-travelling, musical adaptation of the definitive Christmas story. With his very soul on the line, Scrooge has but one Christmas Eve left to face his past and build a better future. Featuring re-imagined songs, “Scrooge: A Christmas Carol” is one for a new generation to sing.

Deep inside the mountain of Dovre, something gigantic awakens after being trapped for a thousand years. Destroying everything in its path, the creature is fast approaching the capital of Norway. But how do you stop something you thought only existed in Norwegian folklore?

“Emancipation” follows Peter, an escaped slave who sets off on a life-or-death journey to the northern U.S. after fleeing the Louisiana plantation that physically and mentally tortured him. Based on the true story of Gordon – also known as ‘Whipped Peter’ – the harrowing photographs of the man’s scarred back were used by American abolitionists to prove just how inhumane the slave trade could be.

Uncover some of the world’s most intriguing and iconic mysteries beneath the ocean with archaeological detectives as they explore major historical events and curious ocean legends using advanced technology in the return of “Drain the Oceans” Season 5.

2. “Alaska: The Next Generation: Season 4”

The next generation of Alaskans works to prepare for winter’s return. As bears, awaken Chris and Jessi Morse defend their home. Sonta and Chevie Roach teach their children survival skills. Johnny Rolfe explores new territory for food. The Rowlands complete necessary building projects. Alex Javor settles in at Deadman Lake.

Ten singletons enter a lavish villa in the Caribbean hoping to fall in love harder, faster, and more intensely than ever in a high-stakes dating show called “Wild Love” hosted by TV legend Mario Lopez. Little do they know that “Too Hot to Handle” is back and Lana is as watchful as ever. Will this wild cast be able to stick to the rules and abstain from sexual contact? Or will temptations prove too strong to resist?

Puteri Teja contributed to this article.

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#Langkawi: Levy Of Up To RM9 To Be Charged On Tourists From 1st July

Shopping might be duty-free at Langkawi, but you’ll have to pay a bit more for a hotel stay.

The Langkawi Municipal Council City will be charging a tourism levy ranging from RM1 to RM9 on tourists for each day of their stay on the island, stated Kedah Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid in a report by Bernama.

The levy, which will be put in effect on 1st July, will be charged according to the class of accommodations as follows:

He also stated that the amount of the levy is at a minimum, and believes that tourists will be able to afford it. The chairman also explained that the tax will be used for tourism-based activities, in order to ease the financial dependence of Kedah on the federal government.

If we can collect a satisfactory amount of levy, we can implement more tourism-related programmes for the benefit of the tourists.

The state assemblyman for Ayer Hangat expressed that similar levies have been put in place in Melaka, Penang, and Kuala Lumpur to promote the tourism industry. He also said that the levy could be imposed in other parts of Kedah in the future, depending on the response.


#ZoukClubKL: Cute Korean Internet Sensation DJ Soda Set To Mesmerise M’sians

DJ Soda, the cute Korean Internet sensation, is coming to Kuala Lumpur!

In case you haven’t heard of her, she first embarked on a journey becoming a world class DJ in 2013, after giving up her musical acting to focus on becoming a DJ. Her background in stage performances aided her signature dance move, “The Flute Dance”, which instantly went viral and accumulated millions of views on social network sites.

DJ Soda is capable of mesmerising the audience by mixing different genres of music with a variety of hip hop classics and constantly communicating with the audience by energising them with her enigmatic personality. She is the full package – bright, energetic, and curious ;)

Wanna see her live in Kuala Lumpur? Deets are as follows:

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.


(UPDATE) #Instagram: IG Adds #EDM To List Of Banned Hashtags

Slowly but surely, Instagram has established itself as one of the most used and most popular social media platforms in the world. With the recent update allowing users to post higher quality pictures, Instagram also stepped into the world of music content with @music , which is why the photo-sharing app’s latest move is quite bizarre.

#EDM —a recognised abbreviation for electronic dance music— is the latest Instagram hashtag to be blocked. This means #EDM joins in the long list of other blocked hashtags including #IG, #weed, #ilovemyinstagram and #popular to name a few. The block of #EDM means the hashtag can’t be searched which occurs automatically when certain hashtags are used to share content that violates the photo sharing app’s community guidelines.

According TIME,Gabe Madway, an Instagram spokesperson said, “in this case, #EDM was being used to share content that violates our guidelines around nudity.” He added that Instagram is working on means to more quickly restore hashtags that have previously been blocked, and to better communicate its policies around hashtags.

The hashtag blacklist is nothing new but it recently sparked controversy when #curvy was banned. Said hashtag was then unbanned after users slammed the company’s banning of a body-positive term. Instagrammers as well as DJs, have taken to Twitter to share their feelings on Instagram’s banning of #EDM.

Wow it's true! Instagram really did just ban hashtag #EDM!!! Now how am I supposed to find pictures of phat drops?? 😩

Instagram really banned the hashtag #EDM as a plan to educate everyone into the sub-genres of electronic dance music 😏

Instagram blocking the #EDM hashtag is hilarious. C'mon #RockAndRoll and #hiphop and #jazz time to step it up

— The Knocks (@theknocks) August 5, 2015

Instagram have banned the #edm hashtag. How will I share my best practice email marketing campaigns?

— Zac Martin (@zacmartin) August 5, 2015

#EDM is banned on Instagram lolol one step closer to eliminating EDM in general

— Mitchell (@mitchyslicks206) August 5, 2015

Does @instagram know that banning #EDM makes every teenager on Earth immediately want to know everything about it? #CantStopTheMusic

— Tommie Sunshine ✊ (@tommiesunshine) August 4, 2015

Instagram you guys really banned the hashtag #EDM? YOU BANNED A HASHTAG INVOLVING MUSIC?! WHAT

— Instant Party! (@instantpartyWTF) August 4, 2015

Fine Instagram, ban #EDM but you should also ban every other music genre.

— Amy-Martine (@amymartine) August 4, 2015

What are your thoughts on Instagram banning #EDM? Let us know by sounding off in the comments box below.

So yesterday we shared the news that Instagram added #EDM to its long list of banned hashtags and that move by the photo sharing app clearly didn’t sit too well with many. #EDM was initially banned because “it was violating community guidelines” and that sparked rage amongst Instagrammers which lead to the social media platform to bringing the hashtag back.

However, the revival of #EDM comes with a catch. Only certain images that used the #EDM hashtag has been reinstated as, “Recent posts from #edm are temporarily hidden because of some abuse we’ve seen”.

Personally, we’re just glad that #EDM is no longer banned.

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#GoodbyeButter: The Butter Factory SG To Close, New Club To Open

It has been a good run for The Butter Factory Singapore, but even good things have to come to an end.

The Butter Factory announced today (Friday, 3rd October) that it will not be relocating to another venue after its One Fullerton tenure ends in March 2015. The Butter Factory’s management clarified that the local nightclub will close for good when its 9-year lease is up, contrary to rumour that it would be relocating to another venue, unlike Zouk Singapore.

“All talks about a possible new venue refer to a brand new concept that our team is conceptualising. This new club will not be The Butter Factory,” said Fai Rizal, the club’s brand manager and music director.

At the same time, he announced that the official closing party for the club has been set for 3rd January (Saturday) next year, the same week following this December’s New Year’s Eve party. He also added that the club will celebrate the final quarter of 2014 with final editions of its popular parties and events. Aww :(

For information on what they’ve got lined up for the remaining next few months before their closure, hit up their Facebook page or follow them real closely via their Twitter account.

Also, if you’ve got pictures, instavideos, or other fond memories of The Butter Factory Singapore that you’d like to share, you may! Just remember to utilise the hashtags #GoodbyeButter and #ButteredforLife and be part of their farewell campaign on social media ;)

Meanwhile, we wonder what their new club will be called and what the “brand new concept” will be like. More importantly, where is this new venue for this new club Can’t wait to find out!


Jeff Goldblum Kept A Book Of Improvised Lines For His Role In “Jurassic World Dominion”

If you have watched “Jurassic Park” (1993), “The Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou” (2004), or “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017), you could not have missed this actor who stood out in the best way possible. Yes, we’re referring to actor Jeff Goldblum (who is known for his deep and witty voice).

Goldblum returns in the latest instalment of the “Jurassic Park” franchise, “Jurassic World Dominion”, reprising his role from the original trilogy as Dr. Ian Malcolm. In 2018, his co-star Chris Pratt told 8 DAYS, “When you’re around Jeff Goldblum, you’re seduced and drawn in (by his voice). He’s so thoughtful, so kind; he soothes you with his gestures and his voice.”

One of his many memorable quotes, “Life, uh, finds a way,” is already iconic. So the way the 69-year-old actor has made the characters he played his own, it is not surprising to know that he kept a book of improvised lines while filming “Jurassic World Dominion.”

“I have a book! Oh boy, I have a ton of them. I’ll just tell you one… So, a lot of my ideas have to do with references that are totally irrelevant and of no interest or amusement to anybody who could possibly be watching a movie, and inappropriate to the scene. But it tickled me,” he said.

Even the director, Colin Trevorrow, praised Goldblum’s performance for its energy and comedic presence. “He would always bring extra things in his book that, yes, were often references to 1940s musicals, but he’s both hilarious and very powerful,” he told Empire.

Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Neill, and Laura Dern also return for “Jurassic World Dominion.” It had its world premiere at the TLC Chinese Theatre IMAX on 6th June and was released on 9th June in Malaysia.

Anis Sharina contributed to this article.


#ItsTheShip2015: Father & Son Duo Marco V & Thomas Newson Join Lineup

“It’s The Ship” today announced the addition of popular Dutch DJs, Thomas Newson and Marco V in a special back-to-back (B2B) set, Jungle Jerry, and BiTMORE aboard the floating music festival.

Yes, you read right – Thomas Newson and Marco V!

The 2nd instalment of “It’s The Ship” takes place aboard the luxrious 70,000 tonne Royal Caribbean International’s Mariner Of The Seas from 20th – 23rd November with a pit stop in Langkawi for a show-stopping private beach party to remember.

Thomas Newson and Marco V will play a B2B set in Ferry Corsten’s signature show, “Full On”, alongside Ferry Corsten himself and Mark Sherry. For the first time ever, the much anticipated show, Full On, will be hosted on-board a cruise liner in Southeast Asia.

The mammoth-sized lineup this year will see over 50 international and regional artistes playing a wide range of music such as trap, EDM, house, hardstyle, pop and hip hop.

Fun fact: In case you didn’t know, it’ll also make for a pretty epic set as it’ll be the first time that most of us will be able to witness father and son duo Marco V and Thomas Newson take over the decks for a B2B gig.

The inaugural “It’s The Ship” last year saw close to 2,500 fans from over 49 countries set sail with this year’s edition expected to be even bigger.

“It’s The Ship 2015” is expected to attract a sold-out crowd of over 3,800 fans of which 80% will come from international destinations such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, the USA and Europe.

To date, the ship is currently at 70% capacity with 50 nationalities making up those already on-board.

As part of the holistic experience, the 15-deck Mariner of The Seas flaunts a casino, 10 pools and whirlpools, 17 bars, clubs and lounges, a duty-free shopping promenade, a full service day spa, an ice skating rink, a mini golf course, a full sized basketball court and a rock climbing wall overlooking the sea.

Entertainment wise, aside from the numerous music stages, this year’s “It’s The Ship” has also partnered with Playboy Thailand to host an exclusive after-party on-board the cruise. Organisers are promising various activities where fans will have the opportunity to mingle and engage with the various international acts from the lineup.

Cabins vary in price from USD828 to USD1,228 per person (exclusive of taxes and gratuity fees). All suites available on board have sold out with only limited cabins left for purchase. Cabin prices are inclusive of complimentary 24-hour dining and room service, selected non-alcoholic beverages and free usage of most of the ship’s facilities.

We’ll leave you now with the official after movie from last year’s “It’s The Ship”. Enjoy:

For more information on cabin options, prices, updates and the full lineup, go here.

For instant updates, highlights and queries on the festival, visit its Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram.

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Demi Lovato Confesses That She’s No Longer Sober In New Single

Demi Lovato surprised fans by dropping a new single yesterday (Thursday, 21st June).

Title “Sober”, the emotional ballad reveals that the 25-year-old singer has relapsed after more than 6 years of sobriety. “My truth… #sober out now,” Lovato captioned her social media posts.

In the chorus, she sings, “Mama, I’m so sorry I’m not sober anymore / And Daddy please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor / To the ones who never left me / We’ve been down this road before I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore.”

The pop star also addresses her Lovatics with an apology. “I’m sorry for the fans I lost, who watched me fall again / I wanna be a role model, but I’m only human.” Rest assure the feisty songstress will seek help: “I’m sorry that I’m here again / I promise I’ll get help / It wasn’t my intention / I’m sorry to myself.”

“6 years ago, I was drinking vodka out of a Sprite bottle at 9 in the morning, throwing up in the car and I just remember thinking, ‘This is no longer cute. This is no longer fun. And I’m just like my dad.’ So I made changes in my life,” she revealed told an audience in Brooklyn back in March.

In her 2017 documentary, “Simply Complicated”, she said, “My dad was an addict and an alcoholic. Guess I always searched for what he found in drugs and alcohol because it fulfilled him.” The new visual is mostly a lyric video but it contains pictures of Lovato as a kid and adult.

There are no updates on her current sobriety status, so we’re guessing Lovato is letting the lyrics do the talking for now.


#TreatYoSelf: Get Your Hands On These Finger-Licking Seafood Platters In Klang Valley

It is without a doubt that seafood, particularly fish, play a big part in our everyday meals. Be it crabs, prawns, or lobster – you name it, we love it! Luckily for us Malaysians, all sorts of fresh seafood are easily found in markets or supermarkets as Malaysia is surrounded by the ocean.

Over the past few years, many restaurants specialising in seafood have emerged around town. Adapting a “hands on” dining experience, many of these places have some pretty delicious and unique creations. So unless you’re allergic to seafood, here are some of the best seafood platters in Klang Valley:

1. Weekend Food Feast @ Steaks & Lobsters

Steaks and Lobsters has more than just steaks and lobsters. On weekend afternoons, the western eatery serves a mean plate of deep fried seafood (oysters, prawns, Canadian lobster, Indonesian crab, and more) and beautifully grilled steaks topped with an aromatic grilled cheese sauce made of sharp cheddar and mild mozzarella. That’s not all, the restaurant also offers free flow cold pressed juices and sparkling wine for a good price.

Note: The seafood platter is only available on Saturday and Sunday, 12pm – 3pm.

Located in Encorp Strand, Kota Damansara, Kai’s Plato specialty is their steamed seafood platter. Patrons are advised to eat the dish “layer by layer” as the array of seafood is cooked in multi-tier steamer. The 1st and 2nd layers are usually filled with squids, tiger prawns, baby abalones, mussels, and clams while the 3rd layer contains crabs, slipper lobsters, and scallops. The last tier is a rich soup that is packed with the seafood’s “essence”. Yum!

The restaurant is usually packed, so try to make reservations before you get your fill of some “vitamin sea” ;) Kai’s Plato also has another outlet in Kota Kemuning.

Note: They have wine buffet at only RM25 from Monday to Friday, 7pm – 9pm.

3. Cheesy Mozzarella Seafood Set @ 33 Seafood

In recent years, Puchong has become one of the best areas for food hunting. Tucked away in Bandar Puteri, 33 Seafood is famed for their seafood dishes, particularly the Cheesy Mozzarella Seafood Set, which comes with a free jug of drink. You should also try their otak-otak, sambal friend rice, chicken wings, and giant ABC (aka ice kacang). The restaurant also serves many other Chinese dishes that will certainly satisfy your cravings.

4. Louisiana Cajun Style Seafood Set @ Just Seafood

True to its name, Just Seafood only serves seafood and nothing else. Located in Sunway Giza Mall, the casual food joint’s must-try is definitely the incredibly fragrant Louisiana Cajun Style Seafood Set. Just in case you didn’t know, Cajun sauce is made of garlic, onions, and various spices such as cayenne pepper and paprika. Each set comes with a side of potatoes, carrots, corns, and refillable rice.

Alternatively, customers can choose to order the Buttermilk Style Seafood Set.

XO+Spicy Seafood Combo is every spicy food lover’s dream dish. Savoury and hot, the platter consists of fresh clams, baby octopuses, prawns, lobsters, and crabs. Each set is served with baked potatoes, corn, aubergine, and baguettes. This sinful meal is best savoured with some refreshing cold beers while facing SetiaWalk’s beautiful fountain. Now, doesn’t that sound like the perfect Friday night plan? ?

If you don’t fancy spicy food, you can opt for the lemon cream sauce instead.

6. Signature Roast Fish (發記招牌特色烤鱼) @ Fatt Kee

Managed by a husband and wife pair, Fatt Kee’s Signature Roast Fish has been setting Facebook abuzz for many months. The mouth-watering Chinese-inspired delicacy is served on a silver pan and it is cooked with various vegetables in a flavourful broth. There are 7 levels of spiciness, so order wisely as the chillies (which are a combination of Malaysian, Vietnamese, Brazilian, and Chinese chillies) are no joke. Don’t say that we didn’t warn you!

7. Ultimate Seafood Platter (终极海宝大拼盘) @ Seafood Station

Don’t know which flavour to choose? Why not try them all by ordering Seafood Station’s Ultimate Seafood Platter! Not only does the dish come with at least 5 different seafood, it also comes with 6 different sauces – salted egg yolk, butter, kam heong, chilli, Nyonya, and coffee. Available in regular (4-5 pax) and large (8pax), customers are required to make their orders at least 1 day in advance.

Feeling peckish? Then gather your friends and family to try one of the above scrumptious seafood delights today! If you know of any other restaurants that you think the world should know about, drop us a note in the comments below ?

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90s Party For Charity!

The highly anticipated retrospective music event “Retro Sunsplash” is back for its fourth edition! Held for the first time in the capital city, the 90s music themed event will offer a wonderful tribute to the diverse 90’s – from Ace of Base, R Kelly, Whitney Houston, Tupac down to early house music like Stardust, Modjo, Madison Avenue, and Daft Punk.

Fittingly, rocking the sets will be top local DJs who ruled the scene back in the day, such as:

As seen in the tagline, “Charity. Fab Music. Good Times. Great Friends.”, raising money for the underprivileged has always been a foremost priority for event, and this year they are supporting Pusat Jagaan Kanak-Kanak Kurang Upaya Kirtarsh in Bukit Beruntung, Rawang for the second time running, having previously raised RM16,000 in June, and hoping to raise even more this time around.

Although entry to the event is free, money will be raised through drink sales and collection boxes strategically placed around the venue. The excitement level will also be raised this year with a lucky draw offering fantastic prizes at only RM10 per entry and a high stakes British pool competition with an RM50 entry fee.

A special retro cars showcase will also be held outside of Life Centre on the day to further accentuate the retro feel of this unique event. Deets are as follows:

Venue: Dirty Nelly’s, Life Centre, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur

Event Theme: Back to Basics  ~The 90’s Edition~

For more information, visit Retro Sunsplash 4’s event page.


WINNERS: Exclusive Looper Merchandise Could Be Yours

Alright we’ve got our winners for our official Looper merchandise contest! Thank you all for sending in your “If I were the younger Joe in Looper, I would..” submissions. We’ve had some really creative ones that made us laugh. Man, you guys are good!

Thanks to our friends from NEF, five of our lucky (and creative, let’s not forget creative!) readers will be taking some Looper goodies home. They are:

Oh happy day. Congratulations, troopers!

Because these allocated prizes are all yours. Yay.

Kindly collect your prizes from our office from 22nd October 2012 (Monday) onwards. Remember to bring your IC for verification purposes!

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

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


Woman In Cheras Was Attacked Outside Her You Vista Apartment

We always encourage women to exercise caution, no matter where they are. After all, anything can happen.

A Facebook user, Otak Jun (real name Michelle Tai) was assaulted while she was parked outside her apartment. The 24-year-old made the post as a warning to other women.

The incident took place on 4th April at about 1:30am. According to Jun, she was parked at the shop-lot area of the You Vista apartment in Cheras. She noticed a Malay man wearing a helmet and a mask on his parked motorcycle nearby. The man tried to talk to her and without thinking, she had wound down her window.  Although she couldn’t hear him properly as he was rather soft, she supposedly heard “I want to [inaudible] with you.” This alarmed her and she quickly wounded up her window.

The man came over to the car and acted as if he intended to show her his private parts. Jun admitted in hindsight, she should have just driven away but at that time, she didn’t think of it.  Instead, she pulled out her phone and started recording the man. He immediately tried to hide his features by turning away and pulling his visor down. Visibly annoyed, the man threatened to break her window and tried to open her door. When he got angry and started shouting at her, Jun phoned her friends and family for help.

The man used a tool he fetched from his bike to break her window. He attempted to open the car door from the inside, but she blocked him. Then, the man yanked on Jun’s hair while struggling to get her phone. Jun suspected he wanted to delete any evidence of himself. Terrified of losing her phone, Jun tucked it close to her in an attempt to protect it. As they continued to struggle for her phone, she started screaming. It frightened the man and he left quickly without taking her handphone.

Jun drove to the guard house to wait for her family. Apparently there were at least three guards there but they did not offer any assistance to her. After her family arrived, the guards explained they heard screaming but did not check it out because they “lacked manpower”. They also stated that the parking lot had no CCTV and therefore it was not their responsibility.

Jun said she reported the matter to the police and will hand the recorded video to them as well. However, she was severely disappointed with the guards. She claimed she had seen them patrolling the parking lot before, so their explanation made no sense to her.

She did count herself lucky however. She pointed out that the man could have waited for her to exit the car, or attacked her while ignoring her phone. She was also grateful he fled once she started screaming. “I want to use my terrifying experience to tell all the ladies, as soon as someone suspicious approaches you, drive away immediately,” Jun said. “Please be on high alert at all times, stay safe.”

While some netizens thanked her for sharing the warning, some were confused by her actions. They insisted Jun should have driven away or used her car horn to attract attention. Many were surprised her first instinct was to record the incident.

What’s done is done however, and at the very least, she is safe albeit injured. Hopefully, the police will be able to find and arrest the assailant soon.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Razlan Shah – Jungle ft. Darren Ashley

It is undoubtedly a big leap for a musician to go from busking on the streets to performing on stage to starring in his/her own music video.

Malaysian singer-songwriter Razlan Shah now brings a breath of fresh air with “Jungle”, a new song off his upcoming EP, “Hounds”.

Produced by Darren Ashley, “Jungle” is a song that Razlan and Darren co-wrote in a jungle – literally. It is about trying to run away and feeling whole again, but realising how hard that can be. Darren described it as “one of the more honest, heartfelt songs” that he has ever co-written.

Its accompanying music video, also Razlan’s first-ever music video, was directed by Adriana Tunku and filmed/edited by Vince Cheong. Both singers are featured in it, but they appeared individually through a split screen. The screens later merged into one at the end of the video.

A former student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Razlan has been experimenting with newer ways to write music.

For his new EP, Razlan told Star2 that the songs will surprise fans as he labelled them under “alternative R&B, with hints of jazz and pop” genre. This is vastly different with his previous work, which includes the folk-acoustic “Sister’s Eyes” and the head-bobbing track “Flowers“.

Watch the music video for “Jungle” below:

For more music update from Razlan, visit his official Facebook page and Twitter.


#A7X: Avenged Sevenfold Announces SE Tour, Includes Malaysia

The last we saw Avenged Sevenfold rocking out on stage in Malaysia, it was 2 years ago. It was arguably one of the best concerts to date and it was certainly a dream came true for those who have always wanted to attend their concert in Malaysia.

After taking some time off their tour, the American rock band is ready to get back on stage again as they’ve announced their Southeast Asia Tour in 2015! No prizes for guessing which country will be included in their schedule, of course.

After finishing up their show for Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival and a brief stint in Japan, the band is set to rock Malaysia again in 2015.  The band will kick off their Southeast Asia Tour in Korea on January 12th, followed by their show in Hong Kong, Taipei, Jakarta, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Hawaii.

The concert will mark their second visit in Malaysia. The band also mentioned they will stark working on other projects once they are done with their Southeast Asia Tour.

Ticketing details have yet to be announced but we’ll leave you now with one of our favourite tunes from Avenged Sevenfold, “So Far Away”:

Now, now, we know you’ve been waiting for us to release the ticketing details but if you’ve checked the organizer’s website, the tickets have already gone on sale since 3rd of November!

As confirmed by PR Worldwide, Avenged Sevefold’s concert details are as follows:

As for the ticket prices, there are two different zones available for “Avenged Sevenfold: Live in Kuala Lumpur” and the tickets are priced at RM298 and RM208 respectively:

Tickets can be bought through TicketPro online and authorized Ticketpro outlets.

For more information, visit their official website.

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8 Delectable Eats To Try At PJ’s New Pop-Up Tiffin Food Court

Do you love music, games, and eating? The new Tiffin Food Court will be hosting all of the aforementioned under one roof for 3 weeks starting this Friday (8th December).

What’s great about food court is the variety of delicious dishes you’d get to taste. Unlike the typical fiesta or medan selera, this temporary pop-up food court will feature famous culinary experts like Chef Darren Teoh from Dewakan, Sitka Studio’s Chef Christian Recomio, and the team from Singapore’s Tanuki Raw.

In addition, the 30,000 sq ft Tamura Warehouse will also play host to over 30 vendors that will be offering more than 100 local and international cuisines as well as cocktails. While you’re eating like there’s no tomorrow, there are also music, art, and thematic enclosures for you and your friends to check out.

The Tiffin Food Court is divided into 5 themed areas. Head to the Chinoiserie-themed Red Hall and 1Up Arcade for pool and games like pinball and arcade machines. If you’re feeling thirsty, The Eatery serves coffee, alcoholic, and non-alcoholic beverages. Otherwise, drop by the Mezzanine Cocktail Bar for some hand-crafted cocktails served by award-winning bartender CK Kho (of Bangsar’s Coley and Pahit).

In case you’re spoilt for choices, here are 7 delectable eats to focus on:

8. Candy Cane Mint ice creams by Softsrve

The details to Tiffin Food Court are as follows:

*It was announced that the opening of Tiffin Food Court will be postponed until further notice.

Sources: Julie Mokhtar, Vision KL, Elle.


10 Movies That Are Turning Ten In 2014

2004 was an amazing year for movies. It was the year we laughed our butts off to Jared Hess’ Napoleon Dynamite, got swept off our feet with Michael Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and went on an adventure with Jon Turteltaub’s National Treasure. Apart from these three movies that are turning 10 in 2014, we’ve listed down another 10 movies that are turning ten next year.

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third instalment in the Harry Potter film series and was released on May 31st, 2014.

Starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, The Notebook, directed by Nick Cassavetes is based on a Nicholas Sparks’ novel of the same name. Released on June 25th, 2004, The Notebook is definitely most remembered for Ryan and Rachel’s kissing in the rain scene!

Written and directed by Brad Bird, the computer-animated superhero film was released by Walt Disney Pictures on November 5th, 2004 and was called the best film in 2004 by many film critics. The Incredibles is the first entirely animated film to win the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. The film also bagged two Academy Awards and the 2004 Annie Award for best Animated Feature.

Sara Sugarman’s Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen starred Lindsay Lohan and was released on February 17th, 2004. Based on the novel of the same name by Dyan Sheldon, the film also featured a cast of Adam Garcia, Glenne Headly and Alison Pill.

Romantic comedy Chasing Liberty directed by Andy Cadiff, starring Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode was about the 18-year-old daughter of the President of the United States whose rebellion against her life leads to a European adventure and a startling romance. The film was released on January 9th, 2004.

Romantic comedy film, A Cinderella Story starring Hillary Duff and Chad Michael Murray got every teenage girl in 2004 falling head over heels for Chad and every teenage boy falling even more in love with Lizzie McGuire herself. Building a fantasy in the hearts of many, the movie directed by Mark Rosman was released on July 16th, 2004.

Shot in Oahu, Hawaii, Peter Segal’s 50 First Dates starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore got everyone believing in love and romance. The movie which was released on February 13th, 2004 was and is still is one of the best Valentine’s Day movies to date.

Starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Rufalo, 13 Going On 30 directed by Gary Winick featured a plot that rather typical but also displayed Jennifer’s loveable flair for romantic comedies. The movie was released on April 23rd, 2004.

This warm, heartfelt drama starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet is an American semi-biographical film about J.M. Barrie’s friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan. Released on November 24th, 2004, Finding Neverland received several Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Johnny’s portrayal of J. M. Barrie.

Narrated by Tom Hanks, motion capture computer-animated fantasy film The Polar Express was released on November 10th, 2004. Visually stunning with the animation of the human characters, the movie was written, produced and directed by Robert Zemeckis.

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Get To Know The A-List Cast & Characters In Netflix’s “Don’t Look Up”

We’re inching closer to one of our most anticipated shows and it’s none other than the star-studded film, “Don’t Look Up”. The movie features a story centered around an astronomy grad student, and her professor, who makes an astounding discovery of a comet orbiting within the solar system. The problem — it’s headed towards Earth. The other problem? No one really seems to care. Turns out warning mankind about a planet-killer the size of Mount Everest is an inconvenient fact to navigate.

Adam Mckay, the director that brought us blockbuster films like “Step Brothers”, “Anchorman” and “The Big Short”, comes an apocalyptic comedy with an all-star cast that’s hard to miss. Meet the actors and the unique characters they play in the satirical doomsday tale here.

Jennifer Lawrence stars as the headstrong Kate Dibiasky, an astronomy grad student who aids in the discovery of the planet-killing comet that’s headed towards Earth. In order to gain better insight into how her character would carry herself, Lawrence consulted with astronomer and climate change scientist Dr. Amy Mainzer about what it’s like to be a woman in the field of Astronomy, where women are greatly outnumbered by men.

2. Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr. Randall Mindy

Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Dr. Randall Mindy, a tenured professor of astronomy who finds out that Earth is bound to death by a gigantic comet along with Kate Dibiasky. He also heavily credits Dr. Amy Mainzer who helped him round out his portrayal of the sweet and vulnerable scientist.

Hollywood powerhouse Meryl Streep returns as an anti-heroin, President Orlean who bears the burden of leading the land of the free. Watch as she transforms into a celebrity politician who tries to navigate the world possibly coming to an explosive end.

Jonah Hill star as Jason Orlean, President Orlean’s sycophantic son and Chief of Staff who really wants to keep the news of the Earth-destroying comet under wraps. While every actor in the film improvised some portion of their dialogue, about 40% of what Hill improvised on set made it into the final cut of the film.

Cate Blanchett stars as Brie Evantee, co-host of an upbeat morning show where Kate and Randall visit on their media tour in an attempt to warn the social media obsessed public about the deadly comet before it’s too late.

Ariana Grande is set to defy gravity as Glinda in the adaptation of the Tony-winning musical “Wicked”. But here, she plays one the biggest pop stars in the world who gets caught in a tabloid frenzy, and showcases the pitfalls of the social media generation.

Heartthrob Timothée Chalamet portrays Yule, who meets Kate and forms a unique friendship in the midst of chaos.

Catch these familiar faces in “Don’t Look Up”, coming to Netflix this 24th December 2021.


#TheHungerGames: Join The Revolution In The First #MockingjayPart2 Teaser Trailer

Wedding! Revolution! Katniss’ powerful speeches!

The first teaser trailer of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2″ has just arrived and it is just filled with awesomeness. Truth be told, we pretty much expected it to be epic as this movie could be the final instalment of the “Hunger Games” franchise.

The trailer made its debut online after franchise star, Jennifer Lawrence, shared an official still of the film on her official Facebook page last week. Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson followed suit by sharing their individual shots on their respective Facebook pages as well.

Their pictures also came a few days after the official “Hunger Games” Twitter account released the first official poster, featuring the beheaded statue of the leader of the Capitol, President Snow (played by Donald Sutherland).

As seen in the trailer, Sam Claflin is reprising his role as Finnick Odair and a wedding ceremony was held for him and Annie Cresta (played Stef Dawson). The wedding had more purpose than just uniting Finnick and Annie as Plutarch Heavensbee decided that it was perfect for a new propo (“‘propaganda spots”), which will send a message to the Capitol that District 13’s population were safe and happy.

The trailer also gave us a first look at “Game of Thrones” star Gwendoline Christie’s role as Commander Lyme, one of the leaders of the rebellion against the Capitol. Originally from District 2, she was one of the first people to become part of the 2nd rebellion. However, she was willing to do anything to claim District 2 for the district’s side.

The 2nd part of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” will pick up where the previous film left off, with Katniss and her fellow Panem rebels preparing for a war against President Snow. Katniss will team up with a unit from District 13 and a group of her closest friends including Hutcherson’s Peeta and Hemsworth’s Gale to engage in an all-out revolution against the autocratic Capitol.

Katniss will also confront the evil ruler in a final showdown.

Directed by Francis Lawrence, “The Hunger Games” is the film adaptation of the Suzanne Collins’ famed YA fiction trilogy. The 1st book was adapted into a live-acton movie in 2012 and immediately gained a huge following. The 2nd book “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” was subsequently turned into a film while the 3rd book “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” has been split into 2 films instead.

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2″ is scheduled for release on 20th November 2015.

For more information, visit the movie’s official website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

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#Sabah: Australians Warned Against Visiting East Coast Until Threat Of Kidnappings Subside

Australians have been warned against visiting certain areas of the East Coast of Sabah by Australia’s travel advisory due to the common threat of cross-border kidnappings.

Australia High Commissioner to Malaysia Rod Smith said that he does not know when the advisory would be lifted, but it is in place for the well-being of their citizens.

Smith said the Australian government acknowledges the increase of security around the east coast by the Malaysian government and hopes that the threats would be reduced. He also reassured Malaysians that the travel advice does not stretch to other states and cities in Malaysia.

I would like to emphasise that it does distinguish between the eastern part of Sabah where the kidnappings happened and the rest of Sabah where we do not have such concerns. We are very encouraging of Australians visiting Kota Kinabalu and the western part of Sabah.

The kidnappings in the region were mostly caused by Abu Sayyaf militants based in the southern Philippines, who kidnap tourists and locals in order to seek ransom from family members or the government.

Smith disclosed the information about the advisory in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday (24th May). He was on a 3-day visit to the state, and also told the press that around 500,000 Australians had visited Malaysia so far.

His trip coincided with a visit by HMAS Anzac, an Australian warship, which will be in Kota Kinabalu for 3 days until 28th May.


#SalmanAbedi: Manchester Suicide Bomber Identified; Details Revealed

A British-born student named Salman Abedi has been identified as the Manchester suicide bomber who killed 22 people and wounded many.

According to NBC News, the 22-year-old is believed to have had ties with terrorist group Al-Qaeda. Multiple news outlets have reported that Abedi travelled to multiple countries, including Libya, within the past 12 months.

Born in Manchester and having grown up in a tight-knit Libyan community, Abedi is the 2nd youngest of 4 children and his parents were Libyan refugees who fled to the UK to escape Colonel Gaddafi. He was a business student at the University of Salford in Manchester. Besides that, The Telegraph noted that Abedi had become radicalised recently and had worshipped at a local mosque that has, in the past, been accused of fund-raising for jihadists.

Apparently, he was known to British intelligence officials before the attack. NBC added that his own family warned authorities that he was dangerous.

It was also reported that his homemade explosive device was full of nuts and bolts and he was identified by a bank card found in his pocket at the scene of the explosion after Ariana Grande’s “Dangerous Woman” concert at Manchester Arena. The identification was confirmed by facial recognition technology, according to U.S. intelligence official.

In other news, UK Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the terror threat level in the country is being raised to “critical” and soldiers will now be deployed on the streets to protect key sites. Also, English pop group Take That has cancelled their 3-day concert “out of respect” for the victims and their families.

Sources: The Telegraph, NY Daily News, NBC News, BBC.


“Prey” Review: An Adventurous Character-Driven Entry In The “Predator” Mythos

Hunt or be hunted. Kill or be killed. Be the prey or be the predator.

This is the choice to be made every time someone faces down the Predators. Throughout the films, the heroes had to stand up to their conquerors, and look at them in their ugly faces. Major Dutch did that in 1987 and so did Lieutenant Harrigan in 1990. The wildly underrated “Predators” saw a group of criminals do that… on another planet! And yes, that’s it. We don’t talk about the others.

Now, with “Prey”, it’s time to travel back to the past to witness the (first) hunt.

Set within the backdrop of America in the late 18th century, the main narrative circles around a female member of a Comanche tribe named Naru (Amber Midthunder). Along with her trusty dog, Saari, she has learned the ways of hunting.

Despite her sensibilities for such, she’s often seen as a lesser being by her tribe. The only person who maintains faith in her abilities is her brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers). Taabe is always encouraging her to be better but maintains a certain caution over her drive. Nevertheless, he does boost her ambition to set out for her “kuhtaamia” – her big hunt.

Meanwhile, over the horizon, flashes of lightning and a red sizzle gather. A new threat sets afoot on Earthian soil. Bulking, lethal, but most of all, terrifying, this new Yautja is hooded with a carved cranium in the stead of the usual metallic bio-helmet. It’s a neat little change-up considering that it is being set two centuries prior, showing that the Predators are not technologically the same throughout the generations. This is a different time and a different beast altogether.

With a concern for the safety of her tribe, along with the overwhelming desire to prove herself, Naru sets out to hunt down this shadowy figure. Nevertheless, she knows that this will be unlike anything she or humanity has ever faced, as she notes the abnormal footprints in the mud. No, this isn’t just a wolf or a bear. This is the Feral Predator.

The film’s visual language does wonders by moving up the food chain. The Predator does not merely land on Earth while someone comes up to him and goes “Hey, how’s it going, dude. My name’s Dave” and they subsequently proceed to fight to their deaths. No, instead, the Predator observes and waits for the biggest fish to arrive. It’s a gradual rise to get to the top.

We do admit that we as the audience have been cursed with knowledge. We know how these Predators move about, that they hunt the strongest there is. As such, there is little to no room for the element of surprise when mapping out the film’s journey from the start. Nevertheless, this is just a minor point we’re picking on.

“Prey” takes pride in its less-is-more approach, opting for the beast to stalk around in its cloaked form for most of the film. The subsequent outings after the 87′ original decided to show the gnarly fangs and yellow eyes somewhat early on, which is a different strategy but can sometimes be a little off-putting. However, stalking an invisible creature for two-thirds of the film will make nerves shake as they wouldn’t know who they are up against.

Undoubtedly, Prey’s” inherent value lies in its ability to showcase the underdog journey. It’s this sort of timeless storytelling that allows for both narrative and horror-induced tensions to continually rise and get their cathartic releases to good effect. Amber Midthunder, who has been outstanding since “Legion”, brings out her A-game here, breathing tension and fallacies into the character of Naru.

As we follow Naru through her journey, it is only fitting that she falls many times, gets captured, or is knocked out to display her lack of skill. We witness her getting scared when she is in the presence of the Predator for the first time.

However, she learns from these mistakes, observing and combining her self-taught sensibilities as a hunter to survive the trials that come her way. As she upgrades her weapons, she gets ready for her great hunt.

Naru’s relationship with her brother is pivotal in the journey as he leads her on the path to surviving and ultimately triumph. Taabe and Naru both have mutual respect for one another, as they both know what they are capable of. Even as the situation becomes direr and direr, the bond they have allows them to spurt forward in facing down that beast.

It’s great that they’re exploring the Predator franchise in this manner with a talented filmmaker like Trachtenberg. Seriously, the dude has so much to offer in terms of building up sci-fi thrills. With “10 Cloverfield Lane” and now “Prey”, it would be interesting to see what other pitches he has for other sci-fi franchises. Maybe a scaled-back, character study set in the “Species” universe or even “Edge of Tomorrow”?

Now, moving forward, there could be potential in exploring other eras while still maintaining the mystery of the species. This movie has proven once again that the less-is-more approach still works for the Predator. Perhaps an era like Imperial Japan would be interesting to explore as it could also delve into the code of honour of the Yautja as well. Nevertheless, we do wish that a “Predators”-like twist could also be done to shake things up as well.

Let’s just relish in the fact that the Predator has gone back to its roots and it’s all the better for it!

“Prey” is currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

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"Prey" is a solid entry in the "Predator" mythos, one that harkens back to its roots and is ultimately nuanced by its underdog tale.


#ProvidenceKL: DJ Kaku Brings The Revolution To Kuala Lumpur

Japan born, California raised, DJ Kaku boasts musical and artistic influences that span the width of the Pacific and two continents. With roots in hip-hop, Kaku began his venture into the EDM scene 7 years back which lead to him building a reputation as one of the Bay Area’s hottest upcoming DJs. After solidifying his position, Kaku was invited to take up a residency at Taipei’s leading club Spark. He has since signed an international club residency with Play, one of top clubs in Hong Kong and Hyve in Manilla, Philippines.

Definitely one to watch, he has been invited to play at Ultra Music Festival Japan as well as to headline sets with Johnnie Walker Jet Black Singapore, Hennessy Artistry Taipei and Hong Kong, and guest feature performances at premier clubs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Beijing, Tokyo, South Korea, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.

Having played along side some of the world’s best DJs including Dash Berlin, Headhunterz, Bassjackers and Sidney Samson, Kaku is known for his unique and explosive style. Undeniably one of the freshest and hottest DJs in the scene today, Kaku will be making his way to Providence Kuala Lumpur to show Malaysian partygoers a night like no other.

Admission: Cover Charge (inc. 1 drink) RM 50 Ladies / RM 70 Men

For more information, hit up the event page on Facebook.


OldTown White Coffee Raided By Authorities After Viral Video Claims Pork In Their Curry Mee

A famous coffee shop was put under the spotlight after it was accused for using pork in one of their dishes in a video that went viral.

The video that has been circulating around social media eventually prompted the authorities to stop by the franchise in question, OldTown White Coffee (Subang Jaya), in order to review the claims.

The coffee shop, which tends to mostly Malay customers, was visited by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) after a man complained through a video that the shop’s Curry Mee was served with pork meat. According to Kosmo, authorities found that the premise has a halal certificate that is valid until 30th November.

Selangor Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Director, Muhamad Zikril Azan Abdullah said, “The main raw material, namely meat, which is suspected to be chicken meat, has been seized for the purpose of lab testing and evaluation by experts.” Not long after, JAKIM took to their Facebook page to conclude that the initial claims were indeed false.

“Based on our party’s check, the OLDTOWN White Coffee food premise is the legal holder of the Halal Malaysia (SPHM) Certificate. It is necessary to understand that the food premise that owns SPHM means the whole chain of halal has been reviewed and confirmed by authorities,” the FB post stated. It added that, “the viral accusations made through the video are NOT TRUE.”

Following the revelation, OldTown White Coffee released their own statement, to further highlight that the claims were false. The alleged franchise went on to assert that they’ve been a JAKIM Halal Certificate holder for the past decade.

OldTown White Coffee’s management proceeded to urge netizens to stop spreading false news, and added that they will be taking full legal action against individuals who made such claims.

Check out the video which started this whole mess below:

Sources: Kosmo, OldTown White Coffee Facebook Page


Hype’s Movie Review: The Magnificent Maleficent

If you thought that you knew everything there was to know about Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”, well, be prepared to be mistaken. Big time.

First of all, live-action film “Maleficent” boasts an impressive list of stars such as Sam Riley, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and last but certainly not least, Angelina Jolie.  Secondly, although the film is an adaptation of Disney’s 1959 animation, it takes on an account from the “other side of the story” aka through the eyes of the evil fairy, Maleficent. In “Sleeping Beauty”, the story opens with Maleficent cursing baby Princess Aurora at her christening party but here’s the thing, nobody ever explained why. And in all the years of the animation’s existence, nobody has ever questioned why.

The film has all the answers you need and more.

Oh yes, there will be some moments that’ll remind you of “Sleeping Beauty” and make you smile but “Maleficent” will also whip you into the dark yet fascinating world of Maleficent from a time before she was labelled evil. Yes, believe it or not, the young Maleficent was an outgoing, sweet-tempered orphan fairy despite her formidable appearance – horned and dark-winged. In her beloved moors, she often flitter-fluttered over the other magical creatures, offering them good words and making them smile. This all had to change, however, when a boy from a nearby kingdom crossed paths with her – and eventually crossed her.  It eventually left her wounded and hardened, leading her to vowing revenge.

Enter the scene in which she storms into the castle during baby Princess Aurora’s christening and lays an irreversible curse on her. It was also at the point when we realised that the three other fairies had their names changed for the live-animation film for some odd reason. Let’s just say that they ain’t Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather.

Of course, the rest of the film follows the original storyline quite closely until the time when Princess Aurora’s about to celebrate her 16th birthday. And she comes face to face with Maleficent. And many, many unexpected turns of events take over the entire storyline! Don’t worry, Princess Aurora does prick her finger and falls into a deep sleep-like death. But who wakes her up? Does Maleficent die in the end?

We’ll be nice and not ruin the experience of finding out for yourselves.

The other (but very important) thing to note is how Angelina Jolie took on the role of Maleficent, embraced it, and played it so well – that’s not to say that she was playing evil throughout the entire film, no. From deadpan expressions to enunciate light humour to pulling off flawless wails of despair and of course, right down to perfecting the evilest of laughs. And that’s not to say that the super sharp Lady Gaga-inspired cheekbones plus curling devil-like horns didn’t complement her naturally striking features 100%. It’d be hard to imagine anyone else more suited for the role, really.

Angelina Jolie was the best thing in the live-action film animation adaptation of “Sleeping Beauty”.

Maleficent has been released in cinemas nationwide. Book your tickets via GSC or TGV now.

For more information, visit its official website.

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Limited Winter Edition Hello Kitty Debit Card Now Available!

Hello Kitty fans now have another reason to bank with Hong Leong Bank (HLB) with the recent introduction of the first-ever limited winter edition Hello Kitty Debit Card. This limited edition card also features a one-of-a-kind vertical design, unlike the common horizontal layout of other debit cards.

To introduce the limited edition winter-themed Hello Kitty Debit Card, Hong Leong Bank kicked off their roadshow series with a 1-day event at the Publika Shopping Gallery recently. Children and the young-at heart had the opportunity to get up close to the Hello Kitty car, while a “Dress Like Hello Kitty” contest was organised for children aged 5 to 15 years.

Other fun activities included a clown performing balloon sculpture, cupcake decorating, a crafts corner for kids, and a photo wall with accessories for dress up.

In conjunction with the event, the first 100 applicants for the Hello Kitty Debit Card received a Hello Kitty lunch box while shoppers received a Hello Kitty shopping bag with a minimum of RM100 spent at Publika using their HLB debit card.

On top of that, Hello Kitty fans will be glad to know that Hello Kitty is coming to Malaysia for Meet and Greet Sessions at Paradigm Mall on 26th and 27th January 2013 during the roadshow happening from 24th to 27th January 2013, as well as during the roadshow at City Square Johor Bahru from 1st to 3rd March 2013.

The limited winter edition Hello Kitty Debit Card is available to all new customers aged 18 years and above who open any Hong Leong Bank Savings or Current Account for individuals, either on a single or joint-name basis. Members of the public can open an account with as little as RM200!

For details on the Hong Leong Bank Limited Winter Edition Hello Kitty Debit Card, visit any HLB branch or log on to their website.


Hype’s Exclusive: Crossing The Movements With Blue Tokyo For #DanceDanceAsia

It usually takes practice to get dance moves right but it’s even harder to get the performance right, especially when you’re combining male rhythmic gymnastics with street dance routines. As the first professional performance unit selected from the Japanese men’s gymnastics team, Blue Tokyo is a team of former athletes-turned-performers that managed to defy the impossible by taking both male rhythmic gymnastics and street dance to a whole new level of entertainment.

Founded in 2010, Blue Tokyo embodies the evolution of athlete to artist as they combine their well-trained bodies with art to create a fresh and unique body expression. The group is named after Blue of Aomori (Ao means blue in Japanese) and Tokyo, which is one of the most well-known cities in the world. It contains their hope “from Aomori, Japan and go to the world.”

After receiving numerous awards and winning multiple championships, the member of the dance group stepped into the world of dance upon graduation from Aomori University and Aomori Yamada High School. They have a lot of performing experience because they worked as performers for Ayumi Hamasaki, Daichi Miura, Lead, Hiromi Goh, and other top artistes. One of the biggest achievements for the group was when they were asked to perform as part of the cast of “Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour by Cirque Du Soleil”. They were even invited to perform on the French TV program, “The Best” in January 2014.

Whenever they had spare time, the members would return to their respective alma maters to train the next generation of championship-dominating athletes. Even until today, the group continues to expand their theatrical work so that they will be known worldwide. Having developed their body strength during competition, the group creates highly artistic performances in which they express a world refined through acrobatics.

Just recently, Blue Tokyo came to Malaysia with Time Machine and Wrecking Crew Orchestra for “Dance Dance Asia: Crossing the Movements”, a project presented by the Japan Foundation Asia Center. The event was held at Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) from 6th to 8th Feb and it aims to promote exchange and collaboration among street dance groups in the ASEAN region

We attended the press conference last Thursday and spoke with Kyohei Ohshita, the leader of Blue Tokyo about their journey into the dance scene. Here’s what went down during our one-on-one interview:

As the first professional performance unit from the world of Japanese men’s gymnastics, what are some of the common misconceptions that people have about your group?

There are not a lot of misconceptions because the audiences are usually amazed by our performances. Our choreography is very much synchronised and it’s from one aspect to another aspect of gymnastics. Our acrobatic movements usually require us to jump over a person so our audiences were really amazed by our movements because of how smooth we move. We usually have different performances for different productions, so the theme is always different. And because the theme is different, some audience members would cry when they watch an emotional performance from us.

One of your early breaks came after performing as part of “Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour by Cirque Du Soleii”. How did you guys end up performing for the show? What did it lead to?

Someone from the organiser side saw our performances and because it’s a unique style of performance, they approached us and asked us if we could perform at their show. So far, we were asked to perform at 2 stages for the world tour and we’ve already completed one of them. For the next tour, we are asked to perform for them again. Actually, I think we just performed our 2nd stage few weeks ago.

At what point in your life did you realise that it’d be fun to combine male rhythmic gymnastics with street dance?

We liked dancing even before we started our performance unit. As former athletes, we incorporated the skills we learned from being a gymnastic athlete into street dance routines and we felt that it’s very fun to do so. We enjoy doing so because it allows us to express our creative side too. Different type of movements are needed for both routines so sometimes it’s difficult to move in a very smooth way. Rhythmic gymnastics is stronger but there’s more flow to street dance routines.

During the press conference, you mentioned that the theme for your performance will touch on the aspects of sexuality, why did you choose this theme and can you tell us more about it?

By using Beethoven pieces as background music, our performance will start off with a very mysterious atmosphere. There’s a lot of mixed feelings involved as someone starts to think about something very deeply. Gradually, the feeling becomes heavy, causing him to become confused and worried about his feeling. As we continue to dance, his feeling blends with our emotions when we perform.

One last question! How did you form the performance unit? Tell us more about the formation of your team :)

All of us met each other through university because we went to the same university and trained in the same gymnastic stadium. But when we were about to graduate, we had to think of some other directions that we can go. Some of us wanted to venture into the entertainment industry and since we are a bunch of really good friends who are doing rhythmic gymnastics, we got together and formed “Blue Tokyo.”

For more information about Blue Tokyo, visit their official website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

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Contest: Win Photobook Goodie Bag With Personalised Marvel & Disney Items

Photobook and The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia have join forces to launch a special collection consisting of personalised photo books (featuring Disney and Marvel templates) and a wide range of lifestyle products.

In celebration, Photobook is giving away 1 million photo books via the “Kids Fun Books” giveaway (running till 31st May 2020) to encourage more fun activities for young children and their families.

A post shared by Photobook Worldwide (@photobookww)

With this collab, you can now create your own stories and unique designs with over 100 product choices on Photobook. Be creative and personalised your photo books and lifestyle products with your favourite Disney and Marvel characters.

This collection all-time fan favourites Mickey and Friends, Tsum Tsum, Disney’s Frozen and Marvel characters. Besides photo books, other products include sticker labels, notebooks, luggage tags, T-shirts, tote bags, baby bibs, photo magnets, laptop sleeves, tumblers and more.

Thanks to our friends from Photobook Malaysia, we’re giving away 10 goodie bags exclusively to our local readers at Hype. Wanna know what premiums are in the goodie bag?

To find out more, visit Photobook’s website.


#Instagram: App Rolls Out Familiar “Stories” Feature; Yay Or Nay?

Instagram just announced that they’re introducing “Stories”, a feature that allows people to create video montages documenting their daily activities that disappear in 24 hours. Sounds familiar? Cough Snapchat cough.

In their blog, Instagram said, “Today, we’re introducing Instagram Stories, a new feature that lets you share all the moments of your day, not just the ones you want to keep on your profile. As you share multiple photos and videos, they appear together in a slideshow format: your story.”

“With Instagram Stories, you don’t have to worry about overposting. Instead, you can share as much as you want throughout the day – with as much creativity as you want. You can bring your story to life in new ways with text and drawing tools. The photos and videos will disappear after 24 hours and won’t appear on your profile grid or in feed,” they added.

How to use Instagram’s “Stories”, you ask?

You’ll see stories from people you follow in a bar at the top of your feed – from your best friends to your favourite popular accounts. When there’s something new to see, their profile photo will have a colourful ring around it.

To view someone’s story, just tap on their profile photo. It’s easy to view stories at your own pace: tap to go back and forward or swipe to jump to another person’s story. If you want to comment on something you see, you can tap and send a private message to that person on Instagram Direct. Unlike regular posts, there are no likes or public comments.

Your story follows the privacy settings of your account. If you set your account to private, your story is visible only to your followers. However, you can also easily hide your entire story from anyone you don’t want to see it, even if they follow you. When watching your own story, swipe up to check out who’s seen each photo and video. You can even choose to feature a particular part of your story by posting it on your profile.

If you noticed in the video above, along with “Stories”, Instagram also introduced a drawing feature and what looks like stickers. Yes, just like Snapchat too.

Um, well isn’t Instagram’s “Stories” the whole point of us using Snapchat? Why would we want to use Instagram for that?

We get it – it’s probably because Snapchat has about 150 million daily users (where as Instagram has 300 million) and the number is rising as we speak. But the apps come from very different standings/approaches i.e. Instagram is a place of carefully curated stylish photos while Snapchat is an on-the-go anything goes platform. So we’re not sure how this is going to go down.

What do you guys think? Yay or nay? Let us know in the comments below.

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