Hype’s Movie Review: #MidnightSpecial Will Show You The Power Of Visual Storytelling

“Midnight Special” plays around with superstitions and an intriguing plot that keeps you thinking.

It is the kind of tale where a little boy is discovered with special unknown powers and the government think that he’s a weapon / threat while a religious cult treats him like he’s “sent from God”.

The story follows a devoted father, Roy Tomlin (played by Michael Shannon), who goes on a run to protect his young son, Alton Meyers (played by Jaeden Lieberher), a boy with mysterious powers that even Roy himself cannot comprehend.

What starts as a race from religious extremists and local law enforcements quickly escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving the highest levels of the Federal Government. Risking everything, Roy is committed to helping Alton reach his ultimate purpose, whatever that might be and whatever it costs, in a story that takes audiences on a perilous journey from Texas to the Florida coast, while exploring the bonds of love and trust, and the nature of faith.

“Midnight Special” is essentially about how every parent thinks that their child is special and how they would go to extreme lengths and sacrifices to make sure that they keep their baby safe. In this case, it’s to ensure that Alton becomes what he is meant to become, even though he might never come back again.

The film’s intensity builds up scene by scene. At first, the idea of Alton’s powers are very vague, then when you think you understand what his powers are, something new comes up and you have to analyse it all over again. Great child actors are always hard to find – although Lieberher is only 13 years old, his acting definitely left us in awe.

For a sci-fi film, director Jeff Nichols didn’t use a whole lot of special CG effects throughout the movie. The times that he did, though, it was dramatically stunning. The cinematography, done by Nichols’ long-time friend and partner Adam Stone, gave off a strong 80s Steven Spielberg vibe to it.

If we had to describe it in 3 words, it would be:

That only thing that we didn’t like about the film was the lack of explanation. Although the plot was good enough to keep your heart pumping, “Midnight Madness” shows a lot but tells little. There were certain moments where we wished more dialogue was involved instead of body gestures and long silences.

Another highlight of the movie was (drum roll please) Adam Driver!

You may know him as bad boy Kylo Ren from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. In “Midnight Special”, he plays a nervous but intelligent NSA agent that acts as a comic relief at times. It’s very hard for us to see him as Kylo Ren now because he did such a good job in this film.

Surprisingly, there were also several “Superman” Easter eggs in the film, including scenes where Alton was reading Superman comic books throughout the whole film. And let’s not forget that Michael Shannon played General Zod in “Man Of Steel” (2013).

We think what Nichols is trying to say through this film is how this mini-Superman is learning to live as himself, rather than struggling to be a part of the world he doesn’t belong in.

“Midnight Special” also stars Kirsten Dunst as Alton’s mother, Josh Edgerton as Lucas, Sam Shephard as the cult leader, and Adam Driver as Paul Sevier, a National Safety Authority (NSA) agent.

“Midnight Special” is out in a cinema near you now.

For more information, visit the film’s website.

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“One Two Jaga” Not Performing, Nam Ron Decides To Make Porn Next

Renowned Malaysian director Nam Ron is saddened by the  low turnout of his latest film “One Two Jaga” at local cinemas, despite receiving many vocal supports from fan and friends.

The director is considering of making porn movies next as he believes that will be the kind of movies that will get Malaysians to go to the cinemas.

Salam,Kalu belek kat sosial media banyak yang cakap support, dah lama tunggu, filem wajib tonton dan macam2 lagi tapi di panggung kosong takde orang. Baru ai sedar ai terpedaya dengan kata2 manis. Takpe lepas ni ai buat filem porn pulak mungkin itu yang rakyat Malaysia mahu.

— TA Nam Ron (@_Nam_Ron_) September 6, 2018

“Salam. On social media, a lot of people said that they will support my film, has been waiting for it to come out, and said that it’s a much-watch movie, but the cinemas were empty. I’ve realised that I’ve been fooled by the sweet words. It’s fine, I think I will be doing porn after this because that’s probably what the Malaysians want,” the director expressed on his Twitter.

The director said that he didn’t make the film to get awards and compliments, he just wants people to go to the cinemas and support local products, adding that this time around he make sure that his film is easy to understand, even for primary school children.

“If I’m already willing to make a lighter film and not a heavy one to share my story, but still no one wants to go to the cinemas, then I really don’t know what the people want from me. Maybe they want porn from me,” Nam Ron continued.

“So if that’s what the audience wants, I shall be the founder of porn filmmakers in Malaysia.”

After his Twitter rant, many fans and friends started to calm the director by explaining that most of them haven’t watch yet because it’s weekdays, and they promise to catch the movie during the long weekend.

Other celebrities also started to call out the audience to watch the movie including Adibah Noor, Umie Aida, Syafiq Yusof, Dain Said, and also political Fahmi Fadzil.

Directed by Nam Ron, “One Two Jaga” presents the dark side of Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) where certain members are willing to betray their conscience and trust by taking in bribes and involved in criminal activities.

The movie stars Zahiril Adzim, Amerul Affendi, Bront Palarae, Ario Bayu, Sofia Jane, Zaidi Omar, Asmara Abigail, and more. “One Two Jaga” is now showing in cinemas.


#MayPac: Pacquiao vs Mayweather To Broadcast Live Exclusively On HBO In M’sia

There’s no need to be upset about not being able to go to Las Vegas for the “Fight of the Century” this coming week because HBO Asia announced that the boxing match between the 1st and only 8-division world champion, Manny Pacquiao, and the 5-division world champion, Floyd Mayweather, will be broadcast live exclusively in Malaysia on HBO.

Described as the “Fight of the Century”, the match will be shown to the TV viewers in Malaysia on HBO/HBO HD (Astro Ch 411/431) and online on Astro On The Go.

The face-off between the 2 legends, the Filipino world champion boxer Pacquiao, and the presently undefeated American professional boxer Mayweather, will take place on 2nd May at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

HBO Asia will broadcast the match live on 3rd May 2015 from 9am exclusively on HBO/HBO HD (Astro Ch 411/431) and Astro On The Go.

“We are excited to be the only channel in Malaysia broadcasting live The Fight of the Century between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather,” HBO Asia CEO Jonathan Spink said. “This highly anticipated match can be enjoyed by all subscribers of HBO in Malaysia at no additional charge.”

All the above fights will be available on Astro On The Go till 16th May 2015 while the Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao match will encore on HBO/HBO HD (Astro Ch 411 / 431) at the following times:

For more details, visit HBO Asia’s official website.

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#Germanwings: Plane Crashes In French Alps, No Survivors, “Nothing Left” At Site

An Airbus operated by Lufthansa’s Germanwings budget airline crashed into a mountainside in the French Alps on Tuesday (24th March), killing all 150 people on board including 16 schoolchildren.

Germanwings confirmed its Flight 4U 9525 from Barcelona to Duesseldorf went down with 144 passengers and 6 crew on board.

According to Mashable, Germanwings officials initially said Flight 4U 9525 sent a distress signal about an hour after takeoff before crashing into a mountainous zone at an altitude of about 6,550 feet. The descent from 38,000 feet lasted nearly 8 minutes.

However, France’s aviation authority reported that the plane never sent a signal, and officials lost radio contact with the flight. The plane went down in mid-flight – an uncommon occurrence as the majority of plane crashes happen during takeoff or landing.

Germanwings CEO Thomas Winkelmann said during a press conference:

We cannot say at this point and time why our colleague decided to lower the plane as swiftly as he did. We don’t have any information about why he brought the plane down so quickly to a lower height.

Winkelmann also said the Airbus A320 had been in use since 1991 (24 years old), and the last routine check on the aircraft was carried out on 23rd March, just a day before the crash. The CEO added that “there is absolutely no issue” with the age of the plane.

One of the plane’s black box recorders has been found at the crash site, about 100 km (65 miles) north of the Riviera city of Nice, and will be examined immediately, France’s interior minister said.

In Washington, the White House said the crash did not appear to have been caused by a terrorist attack, while Lufthansa said it was working on the assumption that the tragedy had been an accident, adding that any other theory would be speculation. Aerial photographs showed smouldering wreckage and a piece of the fuselage with six windows strewn across the steep mountainside cut by ravines.

Images from the crash site show small pieces of the plane scattered throughout the mountainside, suggesting a violent impact — and significantly decreasing the likelihood of any survivors.

“Appalling images in this mountain landscape,” said Christopher Castaner, deputy mayor of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, near where the plane crashed. “There is nothing left but debris and bodies.”

“We saw an aircraft that had literally been ripped apart, the bodies are in a state of destruction, there is not one intact piece of wing or fuselage,” Brice Robin, prosecutor for the city of Marseille, told Reuters after flying over the wreckage in a helicopter.

67 Germans were believed to have been on the flight. Spain’s deputy prime minister said 45 passengers had Spanish names. One Belgian was also aboard. Also among the victims were 16 children and 2 teachers from the Joseph-Koenig-Gymnasium high school in the town of Haltern am See in northwest Germany, a spokeswoman said.

Barcelona’s Liceu opera house said on Twitter that 2 singers, Kazakhstan-born Oleg Bryjak and German Maria Radner, had died while returning to Duesseldorf after they had performed in Wagner’s Siegfried at the theatre:

El Liceu lamenta profundament la mort d’Oleg Bryjak i Maria Radner avui a l’accident aeri de #Germanwings. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/j9zIgq2UFm

— Gran Teatre Liceu (@Liceu_cat) March 24, 2015

Translation: Liceu Barcelona Opera House deeply mourns the death of Oleg Bryjak and Maria Radner in #GermanWingsCrash (1/2)

French police at the crash site about 2,000 metres (6,000 feet) above sea level said no one had survived and it would take days to recover the bodies due to difficult terrain, snow and incoming storms.

Police said search teams would stay overnight at altitude. “We are still searching. It’s unlikely any bodies will be airlifted until Wednesday,” regional police chief David Galtier told Reuters. In Paris, Prime Minister Manuel Valls told parliament, “A helicopter managed to land (by the crash site) and has confirmed that unfortunately there were no survivors.”

It was the first crash of a large passenger jet on French soil since the Concorde disaster just outside Paris nearly 15 years ago. The A320 is a workhorse of aviation fleets and one of the world’s most used passenger jets. It has a good safety record.

However, according to data from the Aviation Safety Network, Tuesday’s crash was the third most deadly involving an A320. In 2007, a TAM Linhas Aereas A320 shot off a runway in Brazil, killing 187 people, while 162 people died when an Indonesia AirAsia jet went down in the Java Sea in December.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who were affected by the Germanwings crash :(

Sources: Reuters via The Star Online, Mashable.

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#AntMan: Paul Rudd Makes Cameo On “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Post-Credits Scene

When director Joss Whedon revealed that his upcoming superhero film “Avengers: Age of Ultron” will not include any post-credits scene, some of the Marvel fans (including us) didn’t take that piece of news very well.

Besides, it’s always the thrill of being able to watch an extra footage that makes us want to stay in our seats even after the credits start rolling.

On 13th April, late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel assembled the cast of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” to promote their upcoming film and told Marvel fans to stick around until the very end of the show for some announcement.

Be sure to stick around until the very end of tonight’s episode… #AvengersOnKimmel #Avengers #AgeOfUltron pic.twitter.com/JC4OpGw5Ny

— Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) April 13, 2015

The cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, and Scarlett Johansson had a smashing time together and even played a game of “Family Feud” with Kimmel. Thus, we thought that the host will probably put an infamous “post-credits scene”with the cast at the end of the show too.

After the credits rolled, most of us expected the cast to show up in the post-credits scene. However, Kimmel showed up instead, along with Paul Rudd, who will play the titular character in Marvel’s “Ant-Man“.

Rudd and Kimmel displayed their displeased reactions over the absence of a post-credits scene and decided to throw a silent protest on the set. They started knocking the table over and throwing things out of their ways. By the end of the scene, Rudd decided to keep an art piece and left the set.

It was as if they knew how we would feel if we sat through the whole movie for nothing.

Check out the so-called post-credits scene below:

Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige, Marvel’s “Ant-Man” is slated for release on 17th July 2015.

For more information about “Ant-Man”, visit the movie’s official Facebook page and Twitter.


#FollowMeTo: Taiwanese Couple’s Parody Of Popular Instagram Couple Is Hilariously Epic

Unless you’ve been living under a rock with no contact to the outside world, chances are, you’ve probably come across the famous “Hold My Hand” pose on your Instagram, Facebook, or any other social media platform.

Inspired by the #FollowMeTo husband and wife, Murad and Nataly Osmann, a Taiwanese man named Forrest Lu has recently decided to give this trend a fresh spin. Although his photos aren’t as spectacular as the Russian photographer’s creative take (his wife is always seen in drop dead gorgeous ensembles), they are nonetheless absolutely funny.

The Osmanns’ travelling adventures always takes them to the most mesmerising sceneries as they travel around the world. With over 4.1 million followers on his Instagram, Osmann’s pictures with his lover leading him by the hand never fail to wow fans. The hand holding pose has become so popular that even your friends might have attempted to imitate the gesture.

However, we doubt anyone is going to be able to top Forrest’s epic parody of the romantic pose. Instead of touching our hearts with dreamy images, this Taiwanese chap is winning us over by leaving us in fits of laughter with his super funny snapshots.

Like many others who enjoy documenting their travel trips online, the Taiwanese interior designer and his wife Agnes Chien were no exception. He posted several pictures online, showing him and the missus on holiday in Hawaii.

Instead of being all lovey-dovey, the Taiwanese couple’s depiction is what usually happens in reality. Let’s be real, travelling trips with your significant other can be stressful, especially when the both of y’all aren’t seeing eye to eye. It’s not exactly idealised, but we’re pretty sure a lot of you couples will be able to relate to them.

In one shot, Agnes is seen dragging him by the hair during their time in Hawaii. Other funny pics show Mrs Lu digging her fingers in his nostrils while visiting the Pearl Harbour Memorial Museum, or pulling him by the ear during their stop at the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Ouch! Perhaps he wasn’t paying attention?

Are you feeling inspired to try out these parody poses? Instead of the hashtag #FollowMeTo, here’s a suggestion: #DragMeTo :D

Source: World of Buzz / Featured Image: Channel 8 News.

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#Indonesia: Evidence Shows That Dogs Are Killed & Served As “Chicken” Satay To Tourists

Are you traveling to Bali soon? You may want to stay away from eating any “chicken” satay.

In a shocking revelation, an investigation by Animals Australia (AA) reveal that a staggering 70,000 dogs are brutally murdered on the Indonesian island. Their meat are then served as dog meat satay to tourists who believed they are consuming chicken satay.

An AA investigator known as “Luke” spent 4 months in Bali posing as a documentary maker in order to uncover the truth about the dog meat trade. According to the organisation, the “lucky” ones are shot. Others are “poisoned, strangled, clubbed, or even hung from trees to die”.

Although dog meat consumption is not illegal in Bali, murdering animals in a cruel manner is. Eating meat that has been contaminated with poison is not only against the law but poses a risk to human health as well.

“Tourists will walk down a street, they’ll see a street store selling satay but what they are not realising is the letters RW on the store mean it is dog meat being served. They’re just sitting down ordering satay have no idea that they’re eating dog,” AA campaign director Lyn White was quoted as saying.

ABC’s 7.30 program confirmed that many specialty restaurants in Bali are serving dog meat satay to unsuspecting tourists. The Bali Animal Welfare Association also discovered that there are as many as 70 restaurants that have RW on their menu. “Dog meat is essentially filtering into the tourist food chain,” added White.

In the disturbing footage below, an investigator got a vendor to admit that he was selling dog meat. The very same man then denies that he’s serving dog meat when questioned by tourists on Seminyak Beach.

“Just 1 dollar… satay chicken… not dog,” the vendor told the beach-goers, showing them a container labelled “sate”. “As long as it’s not dog,” one tourist replied. “Aside from the cruelty, the greatest shock was to discover that tourists are unwittingly eating dog meat,” Luke told the broadcaster.

“This is not about condemning a culture, it is about addressing unnecessary cruelty and seeking to transform a situation of unimaginable suffering into a positive outcome,” said Ms White.

She added, “Dog eating in Bali was fuelled by a minority group who came to the island to work in the hospitality industry – it is not a Balinese practice. For thousands of years Bali’s dogs have lived peacefully in villages with locals – it is our hope that they will be able to do so again.”

You can support AA by signing their petition here.

Sources: ABC, In Habitat, Fox News, Daily Mail.


Facebook Reunites Long-Lost Malaysian Twins

“When I knew I had a twin, the first thing I wanted to do was find her. But the only clue I had was that she was given away at the same village where my biological parents lived”, said YMCA executive Grace Loo. And so begins the story of the two identical twin sisters separated at birth who finally found each other after being apart for 25 years.

The sisters, 25-year-old Grace Loo and 25-year-old nurse Eliza Chang were given away at birth by their biological parents due to financial constraints. They were sent to two completely different places – Grace Loo (who is older by nine minutes) to a family in Singapore and Eliza Chang to a family in Raub. Grace eventually learnt of her twin after being told about her by her adoptive father and decided to try and contact her.

She spent about three years of searching and even went as far as setting up a Facebook page to find her. But there was no news. She then decided searching on Facebook for people who listed Raub as their hometown. And if we know how Facebook works, there must’ve been heaps of people.

But at long last, she found Eliza. In January this year.

“When I saw Loo’s friend’s request, the first thing I thought when I saw her profile was hey, I don’t remember taking this profile picture!”, said Eliza of the initial “meet” on the social media platform. Grace then took a plane from Singapore to Raub to meet Eliza Chang in real life after having made contact on Facebook. The twins, although worried at first that it might be awkward, had a joyful meeting where they discovered how much the both of them had in common.

[youtube id=”WJ2w8kAfV2w” width=”600″ height=”350″]

According to Grace, “We have almost the same personality. We compared profile pictures and we realised that at certain times of our lives, we had the same hairstyles and dress sense. We both also like spicy food, travelling and sleeping”. Well, if you asked us, it sounds like something made for movies!

And who said that Facebook is nothing but a waste of time?

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(UPDATE) #CLC: Girl Group Announces “Refresh” Comeback; Additional Members Added

CUBE Entertainment’s multinational K-Pop idol girl group, CLC, debuted less than a year ago but already, they’ve got more surprises up their sleeves. The group is expected to make a comeback with their 3rd mini album with new members in tow!

CLC (씨엘씨) was first introduced to the South Korean entertainment scene with the release of their EP, “First Love”. Prior to that, the group was actively performing at multiple small-scale charity concerts or busking in Hongdae.

Without skipping a beat, “First Love” was quickly followed up with the release of the group’s 2nd mini album, “Question”, in May 2015. They then held their first overseas promotional tour in Malaysia titled, “First Love Promo Tour in Malaysia”.

Currently, CLC (which stands for CrystaL Clear), CUBE Entertainment’s first girl group in 6 years, consists of members Seunghee, Yujin, Seungyeon, Sorn, and Yeeun. But soon, 2 additional members will be added to the bill!

The official announcement was made via CLC’s Facebook page via a teaser image of the girls’ new album cover, “Refresh”. CLC can be seen standing with their backs facing the camera, decked in dresses and holding hands with each other.

CUBE Entertainment later introduced one of the new members – a 17-year-old Chinese girl named Elkie from Hong Kong.

#ELKIE (from Hong Kong)1998. 11. 2. (만 17세)#CLC #REFRESH pic.twitter.com/80DTY1hgdD

CLC’s “Refresh” will undoubtedly show more than just a new side of CLC in the musical sense, what with the addition to the CLC family. We already can’t wait to meet the other new girl!

We’ll update this post with more details as soon as we know :)

Ready to meet the other new girl? It’s none other than 16-year-old Eunbin (권은빈)! You may recognise her as one of the girls from Mnet’s reality girl group survival show, Produce 101 (프로듀스 101).

#권은빈 (EUNBIN)2000. 1. 6. (만 16세)#CLC #REFRESH pic.twitter.com/i12ocA8x2m

Along with the introduction of the new members, CUBE Entertainment also released a slew of cheerful teaser images featuring the girls in colourful outfits and some cute props. Check them out below:

Meanwhile, CLC is expected to make a comeback on 29th February.


5 Villains The MCU Heroes Have To Watch Out For In Phase 4

Where there is much light, the shade is deepest.

Recently, we gave a glimpse into the future of the MCU through its heroes. So, today, we’re going to be shining the spotlight on five faces of darkness. As we are all familiar with who Loki and Baron Zemo are, we’ll attempt to keep it tight by only discussing the soon-to-be-faces of evil in the MCU…  along with a select couple we have good reason to believe will appear soon.

First up, we have the Taskmaster. Yup, he might be flitting his claws like a butterfly, but do not be fooled because this beautiful creature may very well be the harbinger of death. The enigma of Marvel Studios upcoming film, “Black Widow”, the Taskmaster is not one you would want to cross paths with.

Tony Masters does not necessarily rest on the same power class as the other baddies on this list but that doesn’t mean he deserves to be disrespected. What Masters lacks in superhuman strength, flaming corneas, and reality-warping abilities, he makes up for with his superb photographic reflexes/memory.

The Taskmaster is known for his uncanny ability to replicate moves just by observing them. This is shown in the trailer for “Black Widow” where he is shown to be observing Natasha’s dizzying moves from security camera footage. This would prove extremely handy with him using his mental almanac of moves against his opponents, countering their every move, surprising them with killer combat from his other observations. This mimicking ability would also give him the edge if he needs to blackmail certain heroes.

Besides, he also carries a variety of weapons which include (but are not limited to) a bow, claws, a shield, and a sword. Hmm, we wonder where he got the idea from… Although he traditionally sports a more angled, cranium-like headpiece in the various media he has been in, the MCU’s version looks more like a souped-up biker’s helmet. More practical, we guess?

Needless to say, the character has served as a thorn in the side of the Avengers for a long time as he has pored through their various moves. He’s sparred a variety of heroes ranging from Spider-Man, Iron Fist, Captain America, and Daredevil in the comics, and as such, would look to be a worthy adversary for Natasha and her crew in the upcoming film.

It’s strange how Namor has not had a major live-action appearance up till now considering his place in the Marvel pantheon. The Submariner is one of Marvel’s oldest and longest-running characters, having appeared before Marvel Comics was even known as Marvel Comics. The character made his debut during the golden age, fighting battles alongside Captain America and the android known as the Human Torch.

Think DC’s Aquaman, but with elf-like ears and wings on his ankles. That’s been Namor’s staple look for the years. A human/Atlantean hybrid (just like mah man), Namor is an absolute force to be reckoned with. We mean, truly, this dude is like Aquaman. He can hold meaningful discussions with mind control fish. He’s got superhuman durability. He can control the currents to his will and more.

Another interesting thing to note about this character is that he is Marvel’s first published mutant. This is due to the fact that some of his abilities are not derived from his heritage but rather from mutation. Atlanteans are not known to be able to fly, but Namor seems to be one to possess this aerial gift.

Even though Namor’s abilities are very much like Aquaman, he’s less of a hero than his DC counterpart. Namor has butted heads with heroes and villains alike over his 80-year history on the pages. Essentially an antihero, he’s both defended Earth against extradimensional threats and declared war upon the land-dwellers who he perceived as having wronged his kingdom.

Now, regarding the live-action film rights to Namor, it’s a little complicated just like The Hulk. As of now, Marvel apparently owns the rights to the character. Nevertheless, two years ago, Kevin Feige revealed that the distribution rights for the character still belong to Universal. So, it seems like Marvel would be able to use the character so long as he does not headline his film.

The Submariner has been rumoured to appear in the “Black Panther” sequel as there is a passing line in “Avengers: Endgame” hinting of the Atlantean’s presence. However, seeing as there might be some setbacks due to the tragic passing of the franchise’s main lead, Chadwick Boseman, it remains to be seen as to whether this character will be part of the plan in the future.

Could Namor’s introduction in the MCU prove to be a backdoor pilot for mutants and eventually the X-Men? Who knows? It might be a while before we’re ready to hear the famous “Imperius Rex” war cry on-screen for the first time.

He sees you when you’re sleeping. He stalks you in your dreams. Marvel’s Freddy Krueger is no clawed mutant but he sure as hell knows how to strike fear in his opponents.

Nightmare has long been rumoured to be the main antagonist in the upcoming “Doctor Strange” sequel. Although there have not been any official announcements as to who might be playing the villain, there is good reason to believe that this character will tie in perfectly to what Marvel may be trying to achieve with this film.

Considering that “Doctor Strange and The Multiverse of Madness” is set to lean more into the horror aspect, Nightmare fits perfectly into this theme. It will be interesting to see what evil wonders he will have in store of Strange and Maximoff. In the case of the latter, we should be seeing the aftermath of her reality-warping actions in the Disney+ series, “WandaVision”. As such, the Scarlet Witch’s torment will only be magnified by the presence of Nightmare.

As the freakish overlord of the dream dimension, Nightmare’s abilities are near limitless as he draws his power from dreams. His deathly pale face is sure to strike fear among his opponents as he torments them in their sleep. He’s able to capture an individual’s astral form and drag it to his dimension to feast on the horrors that he unleashes upon it.

Oh yeah, he also has a cute lil’ black beauty that he summons at will. Dreamstalker. Yeah. Metal.

The most terrifying aspect of Nightmare is that he seemingly cannot be destroyed. As long as dreams persist within the subconscious plane, Nightmare too will continue to exist. It really would be a true test of interdimensional prowess for both the Sorcerer Supreme and the Scarlet Witch if this demonic monarch was to face off against them.

This baddie was teased way back in 2008 when the MCU’s first outing, “Iron Man”, was shown to the world. Tony Stark was captured by a terrorist organisation known as the Ten Rings, which at that time, was a significant easter egg due to the character’s association with the rings.

Eventually, the character made his appearance in the 2013 Shane Black film, “Iron Man 3”. But ehh, we all know how that turned out. As much as the movie thrilled with its character-driven plot, proving that the man was more than the armour, the big twist in the second act was a divisive one. In its defence, it was a well-executed jest. Nonetheless, it angered many comic-book fans who were expecting a more accurate portrayal of the source material, not just some random ac-thor played by Ben Kingsley named Trevor Slattery.

However, a Marvel one-shot, “All Hail The King” was released alongside the home media release of “Thor: The Dark World”, focusing on Slattery’s newfound fame in incarceration. It’s a brilliant montage of his past endeavours, eventual hiring as the infamous performer, before devolving into chaos by its resolution. By its end, the short confirms (albeit ambiguously) that the Ten Rings organisation is still at large. The real Mandarin is still out there!

It was only apt that Marvel followed-up on this hanging thread by declaring the character’s involvement in the upcoming “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” film. Legendary Hong Kong actor, Tony Leung of “In The Mood For Love” fame, will portray the fan-favourite villain.

As much as the character has existed in the MCU for a while, his actual role and abilities remain mysterious. However, if we were to look at the comic-book version of the character, he’s portrayed as a brilliant scientist cum martial arts warrior. His mastery of chi is so great that he can survive without food and water for a long period. Beat that Hua Mulan!

The Mandarin’s primary source of power comes from the ten Makluan rings that he wears. When utilised, it gives him abilities akin – but not to the same extent – to that of the Infinity Stones. Telepathy, gravitational shifts, spectral beams, reverse entropy (giggles in “TENET”*), these can all be achieved with the ten rings.

If the Mandarin remains somewhat close to the power levels of his comic-book counterpart, our boi Shang-Chi has got a real big problem on his hands. Let’s just hope Sonic the Hedgehog comes in and hands Simu Liu a bunch of his golden rings to fight back, eh?

OK. Seriously. We don’t think many understand the significance of this.

News recently swooned around “Lovecraft Country” star, Jonathan Majors as his involvement in the MCU was brought to attention. According to Deadline, the actor had been cast for a part in Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man 3”. That same report also revolves around the character Majors was playing, hinting that the actor would be donning the outfit of Kang The Conqueror.

For the uninitiated (if you’ve never played Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2), Kang is a time-hopping villain, to say it in simple terms. What complicates it is the identity of the character. You see, in the comics, the character’s real name was Nathaniel Richards. Yup, Richards. Like “Reed Richards” Richards.

However, Nathaniel was born in the 30th century on another reality, one that never experienced the Dark Ages and has experienced great advancements in technology, rendering time-travel possible. Nathaniel is said to be a descendent of Reed Richards and Doctor Doom who learns of his future villainy and attempts to prevent by taking on the name Iron Lad. However, after a brief stint with villainy, an adult Nathaniel Richards grew bored of life and said in his best Ted Logan impression: “Woah, I wanna go back in time to become a Pharoah.” So he did.

Does your head hurt yet? Don’t worry, we’ve got more timey-wimey tales to tell.

His peaceful time as Rama-Tut is disrupted by a time-displaced Fantastic Four, who force him into the present, where he chances upon his ancestor, Doctor Doom. After the encounter, Nathaniel is inspired to build himself a suit of armour, calling himself the Scarlet Centurion but that moniker is shortlived once he is defeated by the Avengers.

Not to be defeated, Nathaniel Richards assumed a new identity, one that would conquer all time. Kang.

Now, Kang’s an intelligent dude with a variety of 30th-century tech at his disposal. His armour gives him the ability to time travel at will without creating a splinter timeline. He has an antigravity controller that can render matter weightless. There’s a variety of future firearms that he uses which include an antimatter field generator, a vibration-wave projector, an electromagnetic field amplifier, a hand-held warhead launcher, and a molecular expander. Talk about overkill.

Riding in style in his sword-shaped spaceship, the Damocles Base, Kang has everything he requires to conquer all of time. What stands in his way are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Kang’s ties to the Fantastic Four could very well have a direct connection to how the First Family is introduced into the MCU. Unless Feige and Co decide to go with a different direction, the Richards moniker would be a tantalising nugget for fans, seeing as to how significant that name is to the comic-book lore.

Considering that “Avengers: Endgame” opened a whole can o’ worms regarding time travel, its paradoxes, and the mechanics of such, Kang seems to fit in seamlessly to expand that concept. It’s also ironic that Scott Lang (while some might argue a random rat) was responsible for saving half the universe but seemingly unleashed more terrors upon this world through the Quantum Realm.

It will be interesting to see how Scott Lang and Hope Pym fare against such a formidable foe because frankly, we think they’ll be wrecked. These two wouldn’t stand much of a chance on their own unless they called for backup. He’s an Avengers level threat, one that could very well match what Thanos did.

This dude is THE DEAL, alright. There’s no telling what sort of destruction he will leave in the wake of his temporal-displacing ventures. Indeed, we’re salivating at the prospect of getting a live-action version of Kang soon, so yes, we’re hoping he’s the next looming big bad.

Which villains are you most excited to see in Phase 4? Are there any more evil Marvel antagonists you think could make their way into the MCU soon? Leave your picks in the comments.

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Muse Kuala Lumpur Concert Ticket Details & Seating Plan Revealed

Mark your calendars concert-goers, this is one show you do not want to miss out on. British rock band Muse will be touring Asia later this year and Malaysia has been selected as one of the few pitstops.

Lead vocalist Matt Bellamy, together with Dominic Howard and Chris Wolstenholme recorded a short clip to share the exciting announcement with Malaysian fans yesterday. It’s been 16 long years since the band last performed in Kuala Lumpur, back in 2007.

The #WillOfThePeople World Tour comes to Malaysia on July 29th 🇲🇾Tickets go on sale Friday, March 3rd at 10am local.https://t.co/hhtOyQCDJL pic.twitter.com/taXUxmfoPJ

“We are proud because Kuala Lumpur is part of this tour, and one of the exclusive (tour stop) in Asia. Hello Universe hopes that this upcoming showcase can help nudge relevant ministries to really look at the potential of how entertainment events are able to be the catalyst to drive tourism,” said Hello Universe CEO Adam Ashraf. The organiser is expecting between 50,000-60,000 pax for this anticipated concert. As such, it’ll most likely be held in an outdoor stadium.

Hello Universe will also be holding an upcoming band audition. “Muse themselves will select the local band that will perform as their opening act in Kuala Lumpur, and the terms and conditions will be disclosed soon,” Adam added. Here are the details to Muse’s “The Will of the People” tour in Malaysia:

Pre-sale tickets will go live on 2nd March, while general sale will go on sale on 3rd March at 10:30am via ticket2u.com.my.


Contest: Win Passes To #InfluenceAsia2017

If you haven’t already heard by now, Asia’s largest live social media awards show, Influence Asia 2017, will be held at the Plenary Hall, KLCC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 8th April 2017, 3pm to 6:30pm.

Organised by influencer marketing and media company Gushcloud, and hosted by Korean digital marketing group Yello Digital Marketing (YDM), the show will gather the region’s top 252 social media influencers and feature top performing acts across the region, alongside some of the world’s biggest social media stars.

Among those who are slated to take the stage at Influence Asia 2017 include former SNSD member Jessica Jung (정수연), Malaysia’s homegrown talent pop trio De Fam, and the world’s top parenting YouTube content creator Judy Travis (@Itsjudytime).

The best part is that our friends from Influence Asia 2017 has graciously offered 5 pairs of passes to be given away to 5 of our lucky readers!

1. Follow @HypeMY AND @influenceasia on Instagram.

2. Repost this image on Instagram with the hashtags #HypeMY #influenceasia #influenceasia2017:

3. Tell us why you want to win in the caption and make sure your Instagram account is public.

And that’s it! 5 contestants with the most creative answer will win 1 pair of Influence Asia 2017 passes respectively.

The winners will be contacted privately via Instagram direct message for details. on 5th April 2017 (Wednesday). Winners have to produce the following information in order to redeem the prize from 6th – 7th April 2017 (Thursday – Friday) upon the day of announcement of winners:

All entries must be received by the Hype Malaysia and Organiser before 11:59pm, 4th April 2017 (Tuesday). Entries received before the commencement of the Contest Period and after the stipulated Entry Deadline will be disqualified and ineligible for consideration for the Contest.

Winners must redeem the tickets from Hype Malaysia’s office latest by 7th April 2017 (Friday) at 6pm. Failing which, the prize will be forfeited.
Hype Malaysia’s decision is final. No further correspondence or appeal will be entertained.

This contest runs from 31st March 2017 to 4th April 2017. Hype Malaysia and Organizer reserves the right to change, postpone, reschedule or extend the Contest Period at any time.

“Influence Asia Ticket Giveaway” contest is open to all Malaysian residents except employees and immediate family members of Hype Malaysia and Gushcloud Malaysia Sdn Bhd (the Organizer); their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising/PR agencies and suppliers.

Should the Contestants require more information on the event, he/she can visit https://influence-asia.com.

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#TheMatrix: Popular Lobby Shootout Scene Done In LEGO

Master LEGO builder Snooperking spent 160 hours creating a remake of the lobby shootout scene from “The Matrix” and, well, he pretty much nailed it.

Snooperking, known for his other LEGO remake of the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” trailer which was released in November 2014, decided to take on the most iconic sequences in the Wachowskis’ 1999 film. To jog your memory, the lobby shootout scene has endless guns, one-armed handstands, and Trinity crawling up walls like a boss.

Safe to say, it was the very same scene that made every girl, boy, as well as “cool couple” wish that they were either Trinity, Neo, or Trinity and Neo.

According to Snooperking, who posted the 4-minute odd long YouTube video up on Reddit, the entire stop motion project took him about 160 hours over a whopping total of 3 months. Not only did he recreate the popular “The Matrix” scene in LEGO, he also made 2 behind-the-scenes videos, revealing that one 6-second shot took him “over an hour and a half to film and edit in Photoshop”.

The biggest difference was that while the Trinity (played by Carrie-Anne Moss) and Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) remained poker-faced throughout the actual scene in the movie, the LEGO minifigs’ smiles couldn’t be avoided. In terms of sequence, however, Snooperking got the LEGO remake more or less down pat, save for a surprise at the end.

Here, we’ll put the 2 videos side-by-side for comparison. Watch:

Loved it or hated it? Let us know what you think in the comments box below!


Soundgarden Is Back With A Grungey Vengeance

After 16 years, Soundgarden releases an album. Not just any album – it’s an album that signifies a healthy reunion and the fact that they’ve got still what it takes to be an American grunge band. Which bodes really well for us because it has been far too long since the good ol’ days of good quality grunge.

So 16 years later, here we are picking up a copy of Soundgarden’s brand spanking new album, “King Animal”, and here’s what we thought of it. We’ll start with the title track off the album, “Been Away Too Long”:

[youtube id=”NeBjhpw_Ee0″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

Quite frankly, we can’t think of a better song to be pushing as the first single off “King Animal”, what more the first Soundgarden single in way more than a decade. Nothing screams “comeback” quite like “Been Away Too Long”. It also sounds like the band invested a lot of words and thoughts about their hiatus into the song.

Throughout the entire album, the band proves clear that they haven’t lost the recipe or “how-to”s despite being out of the scene for so long. But the one that stood out the most amongst rest is “By Crooked Steps”. It isn’t “banging” (as expected from the band) per se, but it also doesn’t stray very far from the older Soundgarden signature style. And by that, we mean the hard rock rhythm and contorted riffs:

[youtube id=”oTaVHM6HGuQ” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Oh, and by the way, the music video above was directed by Dave Grohl (of the Foo Fighters). See if you can spot a certain cameo by a certain “mouse”.

Ah, the Soundgarden boys (can we still call them “boys”) must be proud of themselves. Hardly anyone can stay away from the spotlight for so long and still come back with an album worthy of so much attention and maybe some multi-platinums. Clearly, grunge is not dead. At least not for them. A for effort!

Soundgarden’s “King Animal” is available now at a music store near you. Alternatively, you could also purchase the album off iTunes here.

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

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#Ascendant: Shailene Woodley Not Interested In “Divergent” TV Movie

Shailene Woodley may have just put the “dis” in dystopian, as she may not be returning to reprise her role as Tris in the 4th and final “Divergent” movie, “Ascendant”.

Back in July, Lionsgate made a surprise announcement that the company was going to cut the budget for “Ascendant” and turn it into a television movie after “Allegiant”, the 3rd instalment, bombed hard at the box office earlier this year.

Woodley was initially caught off guard when the news was announced. Now that the actress had time to process, here’s what she thought of the whole situation: “Last I heard they were trying to make it into a television show. I didn’t sign up to be in a television show. Out of respect to the studio and everyone in involved, they may have changed their mind and may be doing something different, but I’m not necessarily interested in doing a television show.”

Given her comments, it seems as though the A-lister won’t be returning for the TV movie, even though she respects the studio’s decision to change direction for the YA film franchise. It wouldn’t be the 1st “Divergent” train she’s jumps off anyways. Having said that, nothing is set in stone. Yet.

Perhaps it was a wrong move on Lionsgate’s part to take the final book of the “Divergent” series and split it into 2 movies, thinking it could command the success as “Twilight” and “Harry Potter” did.


#Malaysia: Netizens Horrified As Picture Of Shark Finning In Sabah Surfaces

We thought that we’ve heard the last of shark finning activities on our shores. Unfortunately, another picture has emerged proving that shark hunting/finning is still taking place in Sabah.

The Danau Girang Field Centre shared an image of their Facebook page late yesterday (Friday, 21st April 2017) of shark fins laid out openly near a jetty in Semporna, a district and town in Tawau Division, Sabah.

As at time of writing the picture has been shared over 1.5k times, garnering more 1.2k Facebook reactions and 100 comments. “Sickening and heart breaking knowing those poor sharks would have been thrown back in the water alive minus their fins etc!” read one comment. Another enraged Facebook user said, “Is there really nothing else to eat?!”

This is not the first time that evidence of shark killing has surfaced. Back in June 2016, Facebook user Chung Wui Tang shared images of sharks floating in bloodied waters after having their fins removed. It is without a doubt that the picture stirred up a fresh new batch of arguments and calls for stronger laws to ban shark hunting/finning activities in Sabah, Malaysia’s dive paradise.

Currently, only the Tun Sakaran marine park in Semporna, Tunku Abdul Rahman marine park fronting the state capital, and the proposed Tun Mustapha marine park in Kudat are off limits to shark fishing. The 3 marine parks total some 2 million hectares and is habitat to about 80% of the state’s shark population.

Speaking to The Star Online, anti-shark hunting and finning activist Aderick Chong, who heads the Sabah Shark Protection Association, expressed shock over the picture. He said that the fishermen claimed that the sharks sold at the markets were from their catch that was part of their livelihood and not hunted. “But why do they need to fin the fish and sell the body separately? This clearly shows that the shark fin trade is real and continues to exist in Sabah,” he said.

“Sharks will disappear from our seas. As it is, sharks are already so hard to find in our dive sites,” Aderick Chong added.

Malaysia’s Department of Fisheries (Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia) has yet to respond to the picture.

Sources: Danau Girang Field Centre, @gbeejipp, The Star Online / Featured image: Danau Girang Field Centre.


Director J.J. Abrams Responds To “Rise Of The Skywalker” Criticisms

The new “Star Wars” film “The Rise Of Skywalker” is out, and fans are pretty divisive in their response. While many die hard fans have criticised the film for its jarring way of story telling, there’s an equal amount of fans that praised the film for its great blend of CGI and practical effects.

This led to the film’s director, J.J. Abrams, being asked about his opinion on those criticisms made by Star Wars fans, that were left disappointed by the film. Although the filmmaker acknowledged the negative opinions made by the displeased fans, he also said that it was impossible to please everyone.

“I would say that they’re right. The people who love it more than anything are also right,” the director told Cover Media, adding that, “I was asked just 7 hours ago in another country, So how do you go about pleasing everyone? I was like’ What?” He continued, “Not to say that should be what anyone tries to do anyway, but how would one go about it? Especially with Star Wars.”

He also stated, “I don’t need to tell anyone here, we live in a moment where everything immediately seems to default to outrage. There is an MO of either: It’s exactly as I see it, or you’re my enemy”.

He concluded with, “It’s a crazy thing that there is such a norm that seems to be devoid of nuance and compassion – and this is not about Star Wars, this is about everything – it’s a crazy moment, so we knew starting this any decision we made – a design decision, a musical decision, a narrative decision – would please someone and infuriate someone else. And they’re all right.”

It should be noted that, despite the criticisms, the film still garnered around $175.5 million (RM726 million) in its opening weekend. As it stands, “The Rise Of Skywalker” is the second lowest rated “Star Wars” live action film at Rotten Tomato with 56%. Only “The Phantom Menace” has a lower score with 53%.

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#Malaysia: Bangladeshi Man Beaten Up For Raping Teen In Cyber Cafe Toilet

Late yesterday (19th February, Friday) pictures and videos of a man with a lot of blood streaming down his head and body were making its rounds on social media.

It was later reported that the man, a Bangladeshi, was beaten to a bloody pulp after he was caught molesting and raping 13-year-old girl in a cybercafe toilet.

The incident took place at a cyber cafe in Seri Rampai, Wangsa Maju.

The teenage girl had gone with her father to the cyber cafe in Rampai Business Park at about 10:30pm on Thursday (18th February). As her father engrossed himself in a video game while his daughter waited next to him, the 30-year-old Bangladeshi suspect, who was also in the cyber cafe, invited the teen to enter the toilet with him.

The Star Online quoted KL CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Zainuddin Ahmad as saying, “The victim followed him there and while in the toilet, she was molested and raped by the suspect.”

As the man raped the girl, he threatened her not to make a sound. The girl’s father then went looking for his daughter and found her being sexually assaulted. He retaliated by beating up the suspect with the help of the other customers at the cyber cafe.

“The suspect was beaten up by the father and customers in the cyber cafe. Police were called and we arrested the man. An ambulance also had to come to provide treatment for the man,” Zainuddin said.

The Bangladeshi man is being remanded for a week for a rape investigation. The case has been referred to the KL Sexual Crimes, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Investigations Division (D11).

The above news garnered a mixed response from netizens, with some questioning the father’s parenting skills for bringing his daughter to the cyber cafe at night and making his daughter wait next to him while he plays his video game. Others “warned” that this is what’s to come should the government allow more foreign workers into the country.

Recently, Malaysia and Bangladesh announced an agreement to allow absorption of 1.5 million Bangladeshi nationals in stages over the next 3 years. The decision was met with protests and a public debate, with many questioning the need for more Bangladeshi workers when there are already so many undocumented workers in Malaysia.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday that Malaysia will suspend the hiring of foreign workers while the government reviews the programme. The announcement came less than 24 hours after Putrajaya had signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh.

Sources: FMT, The Star Online, CNA, Business Standard.


Elmina Central Park: New Instagrammable Rainbow Walkway In Shah Alam

Everyone has been raving about the newly-opened Saloma Link Bridge in Kuala Lumpur, but have you heard of Elmina Central Park?

While Saloma Link Bridge comes to life at night with its beautiful LED lights, the best time to visit Elmina Valley Park (Taman Tasik Elmina) is during the day time.

Located in Shah Alam at the new township of Elmina City, this venue has 2 attractive photo-taking spots. The first, is of course, is the colourful rainbow walkway that feels rather dreamy. But as you enter Elmina Valley Park, you’ll notice an eye-catching bridge beforehand.

Called the Elmina Iconic Bridge, park-goers can enjoy the conveniency of bringing their bikes, skates and strollers. It has a bright red exterior and the bridge even lights up when the sun disappears from view – giving visitors a pretty impressive night view.

We’ll these gorgeous pictures to the talking:

A post shared by Patrick (@heartpatrick)

A post shared by WanMasturi 𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒉𝒚 (@wanmasturi_photography)

Elmina also has a large and spacious recreational park where families can enjoy various sports facilities, running and cycling tracks. We heard that watching the sunset by the lake is also a must ;)

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Perlis Couple Removed Covid-19 Wristbands Because They Were “Allergic” To It

Another day, another issue involving Malaysians breaking home quarantine rule on news headlines.

Most recently, an elderly husband-and-wife couple from Kampung Kuala Sanglang in Perlis were detained for leaving the area. They also removed their pink Covid-19 wristbands, claiming that they were allergic to the bracelet.

For those curious, the aforementioned area, in addition to Kampung Tanah Timbul located in the state have been placed under Targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (TEMCO) from 10th August up till 31st August. According to Kangar Police Chief, Superintendent Wari Kiew, they were detained by the police when the duo looked “panicked and suspicious”.

“During the interrogation, they admitted to removing the pink tag, on the grounds of having an allergy on their skin. They escaped via small side roads on their motorcycle to purchase their grocery items,” the police chief was quoted as saying.

Superintendent Wari Kiew added that the offence is being investigated under Section 270 of the Penal Code and Section 22 (b) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

The offenders, however, were released on police bail.


#SPAN: Water Disruption To Take Place In Klang Valley On 19th December (Monday)

The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has announced that the Klang Valley will be facing water disruptions on 19th December (Monday). This is caused by a 16-hour maintenance works carried out by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to install a protective arc system at the main entrance of the Bukit Badong substation in Hulu Selangor.

It was reported that the disruption will affect over 3.8 million residents in 814 areas, including Petaling district, Klang, Shah Alam, Gombak, Kuala Langat, Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor, and Kuala Lumpur.

In a statement, SPAN chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Ridhuan Ismail said, “The disruption is expected to last for 16 hours, between 8am and midnight. It will affect operations at water treatment facilities that supply water to 60 percent of users in the Klang Valley.”

He also added that water supply is expected to be restored in stages after the system maintenance work on the electricity supply has been completed.

(Click on the chart to get a better view)

For more information, hit up Syabas’ website here.

Sources: The Star, NST, Air Selangor’s Facebook page.


Netflix Announces 17 New Original Shows From Asia Coming Your Way

Good news couch potatoes, 2019 is about to get a whole lot more interesting as Netflix has recently announced 17 new and original made-in-Asia shows.

These productions consist of book adaptations, supernatural, science-fiction. They include 9 productions in India, 5 anime series, 2 Thai language originals, and a Chinese-language original from Taiwan. Aside from that, members of the media also got to witness new Asian, Hollywood and international content during Netflix’s “See What’s Next: Asia” event.

“Asia is home to the world’s great creative centres producing some of the most compelling films and series of today. The beauty of Netflix is that we can take never-seen before stories from South Korea, Thailand, Japan, India, Taiwan or elsewhere, and easily connect them to people all over Asia and the world,” said said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer for Netflix.

“More than half of Asian content hours viewed on Netflix this year are viewed outside the region, so we have confidence that our upcoming slate of Asian productions will find fans in their home countries and abroad,” he added.

Cast: Mrunal Thakur as Sivagami, Rahul Bose as Skandadasa, Atul Kulkarni, Vaquar Shaikh, Jameel Khan, Siddharth Arora and Anup Soni

Viewers can also look forward to 8 new original Indian films including “Chopsticks”, “Bulbul”, “Upstarts”, “Cobalt Blue”, “15th August”, “Music Teacher”, “Hotel Mumbai”, and “Firebrand”.

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Malaysia’s Alextbh Listed In Billboard’s 10 New LGBTQ Artists To Listen To

Malaysia’s very own R&B star Alextbh (Real name, Alex Bong) is going places. From performing locally in clubs and bars to standing on regional stages like Urbanscapes, Good Vibes Festival, Laneway Festival, and more.

Now, he even got an international recognition by Billboard, America’s top music magazine known for its music charts!

The magazine has listed the 22-year-old as one of its top 10 “favourite emerging queer artists to spice up your playlist” alongside other LGBTQ performers including Bang Bang Romeo, Hannah Trigwell, Carlie Hanson, Kiddy Smile, Leland, Jamie Wilson, Leo Kalyan, Phem, and Kodie Shane.

“With opening slots for Clean Bandit and Sevdaliza, Malaysian indie popper Alextbh lovingly crafts bedroom R&B-pop with just the slightest edge of gentle melancholy. More than making dizzying, sometimes danceable jams, Alextbh’s endgame is to provide ‘a gateway that highlights what’s happening in Malaysia,’where, still, acts of ‘gross indecency’ — gay sex — between 2 men is illegal,” Billboard writes.

My insta follower count remains stagnant at ~3.8k for half a year now because everytime I talk about lgbt issues I get unfollowed.. have y’all not realised I’m a fag

Since before, Alex has always been very outspoken about his sexual orientation and the LGBTQ rights in Malaysia. He describes his music as “twink pop” or “twink R&B” as his music often resonates with the community. Alex is proud of his queer identity and is using his music to empower the LGBTQ community.


Tony Fernandes: “AirAsia Promises To Pay Everyone Back”

Until they get their money back, Tony Fernandes won’t hear the end of it. AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes has been under fire for the longest time as the airline company have yet to give out refunds for cancelled flights during the Covid-19 pandemic two years ago.

Passengers have been blowing up social media and even emailing the airline company demanding their refunds especially after it was revealed that the CEO and Executive Chairman, Datuk Kamarudin Meranun received more than RM14 million in salary last year. This beckons the question, “what is taking them so long with the refunds?”

A post shared by Tony Fernandes (@tonyfernandes)

Two years ago, the travel restrictions during the pandemic had caused many airlines to suffer as they were left with no choice but to cancel flights to minimise the spread of the virus for everyone’s safety. Usually, if your flight is cancelled, you’ll get a refund but unfortunately for AirAsia passengers, they have yet to receive theirs.

But that may change soon as the CEO of AirAsia, now known as Capital A, posted on his Instagram sharing with his followers about their plans in paying everyone back soon. “We do what it takes and despite no financial support we will get everyone back to work and pay everyone back because we do what it takes to win and do the right thing,” he captioned the post.

As to why it took them so long to reschedule flights, the 58-year-old clarified that it actually takes a while to service planes that have not been active for 2 years. Reaction to the posts have been mixed with some complaining about the company’s services while others are showing support for the CEO and the airline.

You know what they say, “you can’t please everyone”. But we do hope that everyone will be fully refunded for their canceled flights and that they’re able to reschedule them so they’d get to enjoy their holidays.


#GEM: Why The Spice Girls Are Reuniting Without Victoria Beckham & Mel C

Spice Girls fans, your prayers have been answered! After numerous rumours and speculations, the Spice Girls have finally given us what we want, what we really, really want – by announcing their official reunion to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of “Wannabe”.

However, not all 5 members are in on the reunion. The new incarnation of the ’90s girl group, GEM (an acronym of each singer’s 1st names), will only consist of Melanie Brown (Scary Spice), Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice), and Emma Bunton (Baby Spice).

The trio confirmed the much-anticipated news with a special 40-second video titled “Spice Girls GEM” on a new YouTube account and website of the same name. Sadly, the 2 other members of the Spice squad – Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice) and Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice) – were not featured in the clip.

“We’ve been thinking, we have the best fans in the whole entire world. You stood by us for 20 years and we want to say thank you. We’ve had our ups and downs, but you’ve always been there. And we want to celebrate and have a party — and when we do, you’re all invited!” the threesome says in the video.

While no dates or official plans have been revealed, Independent UK reported that the 3 Spice Girls have already booked a date at Hyde Park for next year. Amidst the news of this reunion, Beckham has maintained that she has no interest in pursuing music again and is focusing on her family and her successful designer fashion range.

“She has been very respectful about the fabulous time they had together in the past, however her focus is now very much her family and fashion business,” Beckham’s rep previously told TMZ. Having said that, an insider revealed that “there’s a small chance she’ll film something with them or make an appearance at a show here and there“.

Although Mel C is isn’t ruling out her participation in the reunion entirely, the singer currently wants to concentrate on her next solo record. “I am keeping tight-lipped. There are lots of discussions going on. Right now I am in the studio working on my own album and that is my focus. I’m taking it slowly,” she told The Sun UK.

At this point, we’ll pretty much take what we can get. Are y’all ready to spice up your lives once again?!

Sources: US Magazine, Billboard, Independent UK.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Porter Robinson – Lionhearted

Fans of Porter Robinson who know his hobbies and little quirks by heart are going to love his brand new music video. “Lionhearted” is the first video to come from his debut album, “Worlds”. Now, we know how long most of you have been waiting for “Worlds”, since it has been in the making for almost as long as his breakthrough track, “Language”, has been out. Plus, he did, after all, put up a 10-hour-long announcement video back in February this year.

So it’s safe to say that we can imagine how exciting this must be for Porter’s fans. And the excitement is fully justified!

“Lionhearted” features Porter and a straight up kawaii girl (Porter is a big fan of Japanese pop culture and, well, Asian “bb”s) light up an entire city, with familiar violent references to “Kill Bill” and “Fight Club” along the way. But in all its colourful oblivion glory, buildings are smashed down and random things are shot down along the streets before everything turns into a psychedelic disco.

Porter Robinson’s “Worlds” drops on 8th August. You best be anxiously waiting for it.

For more information, visit his official website or Facebook page. He’s also on Twitter and Instagram but you already know that.


Microsoft To Permanently Shut Down All Retail Stores Worldwide

Many retail companies have shift their operations online to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. Likewise, tech giant Microsoft is taking the same route.

Forbes has confirmed that Microsoft is closing all 83 retail stores across the globe for good. Instead, the company will focus on e-commerce and a few “Experience Centers” in flagship cities.

“Microsoft will continue to invest in its digital storefronts on Microsoft.com, and stores in Xbox and Windows, reaching more than 1.2 billion people every month in 190 markets,” Microsoft said, adding that London, New York, Sydney and the company’s Redmond, Washington headquarters will become Microsoft Experience Centers.

Microsoft will have to fork out “approximately USD 450 million, or USD 0.05 per share” as a result of its retail stores closure. No word yet on how many employees stand to lose their jobs.

So how will retail be affected by this pandemic? Forbes suggests that both “vendors and suppliers will need to connect directly with their customers, often bypassing third-party sellers like conventional retailers”.


Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh To Spearhead 1M4U

Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh has been appointed as the first mentor for the 1Malaysia For Youth (1M4U) programme.

Among the first order of the day for the actress in her new role would be to raise awareness on crime prevention, road safety and promoting the country’s eco-system. Yeoh received the letter of appointment from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the Prime Minister’s Office here yesterday. The Prime Minister is the chairman of the 1M4U board of trustees.

“I was very distraught when I heard about women, particularly, who were traumatised in carparks and by snatch thieves. We will draw up a campaign to make Malaysia safer and once we have the campaign in place, we will announce it”, she said.

Apparently, the campaign will focus on areas where women are particularly vulnerable, such as at areas near LRT stations and bus stops. On road safety, Yeoh said it was a matter that was close to her heart, “There were 6,000 people dying on the roads yearly. One death is not just one on its own. The person could be a breadwinner or if it is a young child, it is an immediate loss of a future”.

She also urged Malaysians to adopt the spirit of volunteerism.

On her appointment as a 1M4U mentor, Yeoh said Najib had thanked her for taking on the role, adding that it was the Prime Minister to whom she should thank instead. “I’ve always wanted to come back to Malaysia to do more”, she said.

1M4U was launched on July 15 last year under a government initiative to coordinate and promote youth volunteer activities.

Last week, Yeoh was among prominent personalities who received one of the highest honours awarded in conjunction with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah’s birthday. Yeoh, who is the Malaysia brand ambassador, received the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) which carries the title “Tan Sri”.

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Hype’s Now Playing: TVXQ (Yunho) – Champagne

Who’s that charming man in the music video for “Champagne”? That’s right. It’s none other than Yunho of TVXQ!

After releasing 2 completely contrasting music video teasers for their new special album, the South Korean idol boy group finally made their comeback on Monday (20th July) by releasing the official music videos for their respective solo tracks, “Rise As One” and “Champagne”.

Titled “Rise As God”, the album derives from TVXQ’s band name, which means “Rising Gods of the East”. It marks their first comeback album since releasing “Spellbound” in February 2014.

The music video teaser for Changmin’s solo track “Rise As One” was released on 18th July while Yunho’s “Champagne” teaser video was released on 19th July. Both tracks exude different vibes as “Champagne” is more colourful and fun while “Rise As One” melted fans’ hearts with Changmin’s strong vocals. The special album is created to express their gratitude for the love and support that their fans have shown them.

Their talent agency SM Entertainment revealed in a statement the album will consist of a total of 10 tracks.

Before making their comeback, their talent agency also released a slew of teaser photos on the group’s official website.

The group is expected to go on a hiatus for a few years as Yunho will fulfill his mandatory military service on 21st July (tomrrow). His group mate Changmin will also enlist in the army on unspecified date later this year.

For more information, visit their official Facebook page.


Welcome to Malaysia, YouTube!

While some international YouTubers are busy celebrating their first, second, third, fourth, or fifth millionth subscriber, the world’s largest online video sharing community has finally come to our shores:

[youtube id=”ufsZsc1QIZY” width=”600″ height=”350″]

YouTube (based in San Bruno, California) will now offer a localized platform for Malaysians (who apparently watch over one million hours of YouTube videos a day) to easily and quickly find videos most relevant to them, on top of content from YouTube’s global partners. How?

Let’s break it down and talk about what this means, shall we?

Malaysians, we know, this has been a long overdue debut. But now that it’s here, start discovering, start creating, and start spreading your homegrown content even further across the globe.


#EXOluXioninMalaysia: A Night Thousands Of EXO-Ls Won’t Soon Forget

In not so many words, “EXOluXion in Malaysia” was truly a night to remember for EXO-Ls (EXO fans) for many reasons. Held at Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur, the event saw all 9 EXO members performing at their first full concert in Malaysia.

EXO debuted in 2012 and rose to fame with the release of their million seller regular album XOXO (2013). Ever since their debut, numerous hits were produced such as “Wolf”, “Growl”, “Overdose”, and “Call Me Baby”.

Furthermore, EXO is setting new records in worldwide scale, receiving large number of awards in Korea and China, nominated as Top 1 in K-Pop by American Billboard in 2013, biggest influence in Korea by Forbes Korea Power Celebrity in 2014 and so on.

The stage setup kick-started a few days prior to the concert with large containers flown in from abroad. Production was estimated to cost about RM2 million, with elements such as gigantic high-definition screens, state-of-the-art audio and visual, pyro, hydraulic lifts, mini water pools, and stage extended well into the audience.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

According to Star Planet, the crew that put together the “EXOluXion in Malaysia” involved about 300 people who worked tirelessly around the clock.

It was full house on show day, with over 14,000 EXO-Ls coming to Kuala Lumpur from Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, China, and Singapore. Dedicated EXO-Ls swarmed Stadium Merdeka from as early as 10am on 12th March (Saturday) to stand in queue under the scorching hot sun.

The Malaysian social media space was filled with updates from EXO-Ls who were onsite hours before the concert. Some fans reportedly fainted from the extreme heat and dehydration while waiting to be let into the venue. Fortunately, they were attended to by the security and the medical team that were present.

Fans are starting to faint again. Sighs, be safe for the nth time guys. 😢 #EXOluXioninMalaysia

An EXO-L faint because of the weather. Please, be safe guys. #EXOluXioninMalaysia

— liah saw xiuchensechanbaek ✴ (@seluniverse_) March 12, 2016

At about 6pm, the gates opened and EXO-Ls started filing into Stadium Merdeka. EXO-Ls had to be let in by batches due to the sheer amount of fans and very little workable space as there was an ongoing construction at the stadium. Despite the confusion and exhaustion from waiting in the crowd hours before the concert, fans were immediately energised at the prospect of finally seeing the idols perform.

Up until few seconds before the “EXOluXion in Malaysia” opening sequence, EXO-Ls were still seen entering the stadium and scrambling to find their categories. Finally, when the floodlights were turned down, excited screams filled the air and thousands of light sticks illuminated the stadium. EXO was finally ready to meet thousands of Malaysian fans.

“EXOluXion in Malaysia” kicked off with a perfectly choreographed performance of “Overdose” before going into EXO’s popular pre-debut single, “History”. They then moved towards the extended stage where they treated fans to a lightsaber show during “El Dorado”, a song off their “EXODUS” album.

It was a visual treat as well when members Kai (real name Kim Jongin) and Sehun performed their solo choreographies at the mini water pools on opposite ends of the sub stages.

Between songs, there were numerous wardrobe changes. But fans were not neglected during the wait as they were kept entertained with EXO videos, one of which featured the boys “working” as little elves in a coffee machine. EXO-Ls were especially delighted when the members changed into their outfits behind a paper screen on stage as they sang, “Lucky”.

There were many outstanding moments throughout the night as their set consisted of about 30 songs including hits from their debut EP “Mama”, “XOXO”, “EXODUS”, “Overdose”, as well as tracks off both their winter albums, “Miracles in December” and “Sing For You”.

During one of their many talks in between stages, the EXO members praised Malaysian fans for passionately singing along to their songs and for being so energetic despite the heat. It is without a doubt that their fan service was top-notch as they kept EXO-Ls feeling loved and appreciated. “EXOluXion in Malaysia” then approached its main highlight of the night as EXO performed their chart-topping hit songs, “Call Me Baby”, “Growl”, and “Love Me Right”.

“EXOluXion in Malaysia” then came to an explosive end with a brilliant show of pyro, fireworks, and an encore performance from the EXO members.

Identifying with the fact that the night was unfortunately marred with many untoward incidents, after the “EXOluXion in Malaysia” concert, Star Planet posted up an apology on their Facebook page:

“The venue has very restricted space and only has 2 entrances to accommodate almost 15,000 fans to enter and exit due to surrounding construction. Moreso, there is no other venue available. If we didnt do it at stadium merdeka, there wouldnt be EXO concert in KL. We had done our very best. All crew are still working now….to dismantle and clear the venue. Hope the spectacular show can make it up for you. We regret for the inconvenience caused to you.”

For more pictures, check out the full gallery below:

“EXOluXion in Malaysia” was presented by Spritzer Mineral Water and Robsonhill Residency, as well as the organiser Star Planet.

For more information, visit Star Planet’s Facebook page.

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#GuinnessAmplify: Living Life & Feeling Free With Jumero

“You gotta live, so come along with me” – Jumero.

Malaysian acoustic, hippie beach pop indie band, Jumero, has come a long way since they first started performing in September 2012. Made up of brothers Jared Lim, Michael Lim, and their neighbour as well as friend Ryan David Gomes, Jumero has brought us some really chilled and life-aspiring songs such as “Fantasy Killer“, “Free“, “Come Along With Me” and “Dancing With The Stars“.

Known for their chilled out, unique sound, Jumero has played at some of the biggest music festivals in Malaysia including Urbanscapes 2012 and 2014, and most recently for Guinness Amplify: Curates Presents Froya, where they were one of the opening acts for local songbird Froya.

Now, it’s Jumero’s turn to take the stage as they will be headlining the next Guinness Amplify: Curates event, where they will also be launching their debut album “Stepping Stones”. Happening on August 21st, at Laundry Bar, The Curve, we sat down with Jared and Michael from Jumero to find out what they have planned for their show.

So, you guys performed at the first “Guinness Amplify: Curates”, as one of Froya’s opening acts and now it’s your turn to headline the show. How does that feel?

Michael: It feels good. It’s a definite and obvious step up from going to being a supporting act to a headliner so it’s great.

Speaking of opening acts, how did you decide on who were gonna be your opening acts?

Jared: Well, we picked Natallie because we’ve got history with her. We started out in the music industry at the same time so it felt like it was only right we have her open for us. We also picked Crinkle Cut because they do a lot of harmonies and we really like their music.

Michael: Yeah, we started out together with Natallie. Our first official gig was a competition which we both competed in then we continued gigging before she left to go overseas. It so happens that she’s back here now so we thought it’d be perfect. Crinkle Cut always change up the covers that they do, making it their own so we look at them as an original band so yeah.

Do you think “Guinness Amplify: Curates “is changing the game for budding local musicians? Given that you can now pick your own supporting acts.

Michael: Yes. Guinness has a huge fan base and they’ve got a strong following on social media so anything that they post will give bands a lot of exposure. Aside from that, Guinness backing up local bands definitely helps bands get the exposure they need, especially the upcoming bands so yeah, we think what Guinness is doing is great.

Jared: Yeah! It’s great and it’s a definite game-changer because apart from being such a huge platform, “Guinness Amplify: Curates” allows the headlining band to pick their own supporting acts which lets local musicians put other local musicians on the map and that’s great.

Tell us about “Stepping Stones”. Why name the album stepping stones and the process/inspiration behind it?

Jared: “Stepping Stones” is about life in general. The inspiration behind it comes from us trying to find ourselves, trying to achieve our dreams and not letting life and reality get the better of us. It’s very uplifting.

Cool. We’ve seen you perform at festivals such as Urbanscapes and we’ve heard your singles and watched your music videos. Is there anything different we can expect from your show during your launch?

Jared: There is but we can’t tell what just yet.

Michael: Yeah, you’ll find out on the day of the event.

Lastly, what has been the highlight of your musical journey so far?

Jared: The gigs, the festivals. Playing at some of the biggest local music festivals and sharing the stage with other local musicians has been great. Now, we get to launch our debut album so we’re excited.

Michael: Being recognised as a band that performs their own original music, being known for our originality and our own songs is definitely one of the best things ever. Can’t wait to launch our album and hopefully you guys will like it.

Given the songs you’ve released, I think it’s safe to say that your album would be a hit. Thanks guy, see ya’ll at your launch!

Guinness Amplify: Curates presents Jumero will be happening on August 21st at Laundry Bar, The Curve. The event is free so to RSVP, head on over to the official website.

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#Deadpool2: Did Ryan Reynolds Just Reveal That Pierce Brosnan Will Be Playing Cable?

Why is James Bond hanging out with Wolverine and Deadpool?

Ryan Reynolds recently posted a photo of himself with Hugh Jackman and Pierce Brosnan on Instagram, stirring up speculation that perhaps the former 007 may be involved in the “Deadpool” sequel and is in the running for Cable.

The photo above, which Reynolds captioned “Wolvie. Bond. Wade.”, shows the trio reenacting the infamous “hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil” pose, implying that this meeting is a secret and they won’t be spilling any updates to the public. But that hasn’t stop fans from throwing around theories on social media.

For months now, there have been potential actors rumoured to be frontrunners for the role of the time-traveling badass Cable, who will team up will Deadpool in the sequel. Although Cable is one of the more important characters from X-Men and X-Force, he has never appeared in a movie before.

It didn’t take long for fan art maestro BossLogic to come up with an impressive illustration of Brosnan as a grizzled Cable, with silver hair and all. Do y’all think Brosnan is the right man for the job? While he may be an obvious choice, the 63-year-old actor has proven that he has the action chops and sense of humour to play the “X-Men” character.

Nothing official has been said yet, but Jackman himself added fuel to the fire when he tweeted a candid picture of the 3 of them having a laugh. Similarly, he didn’t hint at anything beyond the simple caption, “#WolverineBondDeadpool”. Still, it’s hard not to wonder what this meet up is all about.

Fingers crossed, these actors aren’t simply trolling us. Hopefully an official announcement will follow soon!

“Deadpool 2” is set for release on 2nd March 2018.

Sources: Movie Web (1)(2), E! News, Screen Rant.


Immersing In Japan’s Cherry Blossom Season With These Unique Sakura-Themed Experiences

It is not news that Malaysia has a love affair with the Land of the Rising Sun. In fact, Malaysia has been one of the top ten countries in the world to visit Japan. With the rise of the “experience economy”, travellers now seek authentic and local activities that goes beyond the usual sightseeing.

Off-the-beaten path neighbourhoods and Airbnb Experiences are proving popular with bookings from Malaysia, USA, Australia, Singapore, China, UK, Canada, Thailand and Philippines. Check out where everyone is headed as Airbnb shares a list of experiences unique to Tokyo for those planning to travel during the cherry blossom season.

Yanaka neighborhood in Tokyo offers travelers the opportunity to immerse themselves in authentic Japanese culture, where traditional ways of life are still part of the neighborhood’s daily routine. The area is known for Japanese sweets, tea and artisanal shops where craftsmen and shop owners take pride in making accoutrements for Kabuki actors and geishas who used to wander the neighborhood’s narrow alleyways. Springtime sees Yanaka Cemetery bursting with expansive cherry blossom trees, an alternative yet beautiful way to see these blooms in full force.

Explore Yanaka and Kuramae town, a. k. a. the “Brooklyn of Tokyo,” while riding on “tokyobike”. Explore the old and new sides of Tokyo on a bike as you cycle past small artisan workshops still in operation and factories that now house coffee shops and a chocolate factory.

See Yanaka from the eyes of a local while you stroll through a shopping street, looking at kitchen knives and sampling sweets like karinto and manju from traditional Japanese shops. Get lost in narrow labyrinthian streets, arrive at an old wall made of tiles and make a final stop at Yanaka Cemetery for a prime cherry blossom viewing opportunity.

Learn about the history of wagashi (Japanese sweets) from the owner of a renowned wagashi shop. Complete the Experience with organic Japanese tea.

Alternatively, you can also make cherry blossom trip a memorable one by connecting with the locals whether you are in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto. The local Airbnb host community, passionate about their local culture has created unique sakura-themed experiences and discover unique elements of Japanese culture. Goodbye crowds in parks for hanami-viewing, and instead participate in what locals do as well.

Here are some activities you could explore:

As you can see, there’re plenty of scenic routes and things to do while you’re in Japan. Get planning now y’all ;)

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#TravelGuide: 6 Unique Places To Visit In KL & Selangor

Ask a hipster about a good coffee shop in the city and they’d gladly show you a bunch of cafes located at the most unexpected places. The coffee culture is booming in our city and cafe-hopping has become a norm among the younger generation. With the coffee culture extended into our city, it means one thing – the growth in aesthetic expressions of ideas and opinions.

Sure, places like Petronas Twin Tower or Putrajaya are the popular tourist getaways in our country, but a lot of new places are mushrooming, most of which have yet to be added into our travel guidebook. So it’s no surprise that people have come from all over to explore the artsy sides of our city.

Given that Instagram provides the perfect platform to show off the aesthetically pleasing photographs, we searched high and low for some of the places that show us different side of the city. Let the city-hopping begin, shall we?

To change the negative perception towards the dirty back alleys, Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) ran a clean zone programme to develop the back alleys in their vicinity. Together with Bank Muamalat and KNZNH Studio, the city council started 2 different art projects, “Laman Seni 2” and “Laman Seni 7”, to exhibit a number of art projects by UiTM students and all the other artists who were involved in the project.

The project transformed the Prima Dua food court (behind the the business park) in Section 2 in Shah Alam and Jalan Plumbum Q7 in Section 7 into 2 beautiful art sites that shout creativity and colours. The art site can be used as a location for any beneficial activities such as basking performances and handicraft sales. As of now, there is no entrance fee to visit the art site and everyone is allowed to visit the site at any time of the day.

From National Art Gallery to the Annexe Gallery in Centra Market, our city has a thriving contemporary art scene where some little-known galleries become inspiration hubs for those who’d like to appreciate the beauty of art. Wei-Ling Gallery, formerly known as Townhouse Gallery, is an art space much loved for its aesthetic appeals.

Located in Brickfields (the culture-rich district of KL), the gallery was established by Lim Wei-Ling and Yohan Rajan in 2002. The gallery has since featured a number of exhibitions held by both established artists and emerging talent, including those who came from Asia, the Pacific, and more. The gallery organises up to 12 exhibits per year which art enthusiasts always look forward to.

3. Publika Shopping Gallery, Solaris Dutamas

The feeling one gets from stepping into Publika Shopping Gallery is very much akin to stepping into an art heaven as every corner of the building is splattered with art. From the creative murals on the wall to the uniquely-shaped benches to the weird sculptures, the artistic concept of the mall has undoubtedly brought art to life and worked its way to being an inspiration for the younger generation.

As the first-ever artistic mall in the city, Publika is a hub where a lot of cultural activities are held, including the vintage art bazaars, the small-scale fashion shows, or their own music showcases. Occasionally, the exhibitions will be held in the MAP, which is a great art space in Publika. Publika also aims at bringing a younger and livelier crowd to the mall by featuring a bunch of “hipster”-like cafes and trendy boutiques too.

Sometimes, the best way to relieve your stress is to walk around leisurely in a unique building while brainstorming for ideas. Times like those, Empire Damansara is the right place to be as the exposed brick walls and pathways give off a rustic feeling to the building.

From the outside, the building isn’t all that appealing but it made us feel at ease while strolling around the open-air building. Similar to the urban installation at Agitagueda Art festival in Portugal, the building features a sea of colourful umbrellas hanging above the pathways in the building – but it’s never stagnant. The umbrella display does occasionally morph and gets other decor items added to it for other events as well. The building now features more than 10 restaurants, including Malaysia’s first acid jazz restaurant and bar, Porcelene Jazz.

To avoid any disappointment, do note that a permit is needed to do a professional photography or videography in this building.

5. Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery, Sasana Kijang

Surrounded by lush greenery, Sasana Kijang is a hidden gem of the city which is located within walking distance from Bank Negara KTM station. For art enthusiasts, this place might be a bit of a hassle to find as not many people are aware of the building tucked away in the corner of the city. The museum features a total of 7 galleries but it is mostly known for its Art Gallery, which is on the 3rd floor. In the museum, you’ll see an impressive array of the bank’s art collections.

6. Sky Park at Nu Sentral Mall (Coming Soon)

Located strategically near the most connected transit point in KL, Nu Sentral Mall is Malaysia’s 1st integrated “green” lifestyle mall that incorporates unique architectural designs with a touch of modernity. The mall plays host to variety of F&B venues, high-street fashion brands, specialty stores, and entertainment venues all under one roof.

Speaking of roofs, the mall’s rooftop structure displays various geometric glass art pieces hanging from the ceiling. These glass art pieces are part of the floor design for the 2-acre Sky Park in the mall. From there, you’ll find yourself overlooking skyscrapers and city landscapes while enjoying the evening breeze in a relaxing landscaped environment.

So, there you go. Don’t just take it from us though! If you have found any unique places to visit in Malaysia, feel free to add them in the comment box below ;)

Don’t forget to check out some other iconic and historical buildings (i.e: Sultan Abdul Samad Building, KL railway station, etc) in Kuala Lumpur too!

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#IMSAsiaPacific: Discussing Drugs, Talents, & The Future Of Dance Music

The second instalment of the International Music Summit (IMS) Asia-Pacific event, the premier platform of thought leadership in electronic music, successfully wrapped up over the weekend at W Hotel Singapore.

This year, the summit saw an international panel of esteemed speakers coming together in distinct panels to spark thoughtful conversations, and tackle vital and current topics that impact the region.

The IMS Asia-Pacific 2015 line-up included industry players ranging from agents to promoters, to music journalists and managers, not forgetting artistes and personalities/leaders such as Armin van Buuren, Sharam (one half of the Grammy award-winning duo Deep Dish), and Kaskade.

IMS Asia-Pacific 2015 kicked off with 2 captivating “Bridging The Gap” keynotes, with Mark Lawrence of the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) delivering a call to action to the industry to be a part of the positive change for the issue of drugs in electronic music.

This was followed by Murat Kilic (artiste and CEO of Reckless Republic and Spice in Australia) highlighting the devastating consequences a heavy-handed government can have on an entire region’s culture where he cited Sydney as an example to learn from.

Other key points from the captivating “Bridging The Gap” panels include:

The 5-time world #1 DJ revealed that being #1 put him under a lot of pressure as expectations ran high, enough to send him to a personal coach because he “wasn’t Armin van Buuren anymore”, he was the world #1 DJ.

All in the same breath, he brought up the ongoing argument and fans’ opinions on his direction in music, saying, “I’ll tell you something from the heart – I do read all the criticism. I know exactly what’s going on.” Adding that although it is his need as an artiste to continuously reinvent himself, his heart is with trance.

Armin van Buuren also shared his views on the drug stigma being tied to electronic dance music festivals, especially his “A State of Trance” (ASOT) shows.

We as DJs should always stand up, help the promoters and tell the people to look after each other. If you want dance music to grow, stop taking the illegal shit and move on.

On a more fun note, he also addresses festivals “trends” aka social media kids where people are on their smartphones taking pictures/recording videos more than they are actually enjoying the festival. “Just enjoy the music, man..”

Getting the underground above ground and getting Asian talents the exposure that they deserve has proven to be a challenge.

In the “Artiste to Artiste: East Meets West” panel, some of our friends from the regional front came together to discuss what Asia’s electronic music scene needs in order to get itself up on the global stage.

First and foremost, on the idea of sexism in the industry. Bali-based artiste Scarlett Etienne described sexism to be an experience that is a choice for females. “You only experience sexism if you allow it to happen.”

As for the lack of Asian talents in the scene, Daze Agency’s DJ Tennis urged DJs and producers to first look into growing their local industry, noting that it is only by developing an organic community internally (therefore providing artistes with the support they need) that they will expand internationally.

Will that be enough for Asian talents make it on the global stage?

At the end of the day, the music speaks for itself. When you have talent, it shines through.

And, allow us to add, as long as the interest in becoming a part of the scene is not for all the wrong reasons e.g. money, fame.

Is there a future for electronic music in the Asia-Pacific region? American DJ/producer Kaskade took the stage at the end of the IMS Asia-Pacific 2015 day to discuss the powerful potential that Asia has.

As not just a DJ/producer who witnessed the EDM explosion in the US but also someone who has made frequent trips to Asia thanks to the EDM explosion on the Asian front, Kaskade said that Asia is “a place of opportunity” just waiting to be tapped by local and international professionals over the next few years.

He gushed, “It was all leading up to something and we’re going to get to see what that is.”

But unlike America, Asia is made out of very different regions with very different cultures and languages. Which, of course, then manifests into very different sensibilities and dynamics altogether despite being neighbours and Asia at heart.

A lot of Asia is a hybrid of what’s happening in America and Europe. They take from the two worlds and make it their own.

He took the liberty to share his views on drug usage in electronic music, knowing that often, he’s playing to crowds hyped up on illegal substances. Kaskade explained, “I just don’t feel like drugs need to be there to make it work. I enjoy this music sober, and I think it’s possible for many people to do the same.” and that music was enough as an escape for him.

For more pictures from IMS Asia-Pacific 2015 in Singapore, check out the gallery below:

On another note, don’t forget to check out our exclusive interview with Armin van Buuren where he talks about the year that was and the year that is to come :)

For more information, visit the International Music Summit’s website or Facebook page.

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#BLACKPINK: YG Ent’s K-Pop Idol Girl Group To Have Own Reality Show

Boombayah, guys! The girls of BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) will be starring in their own reality show :)

The show, titled “BLACKPINK TV” (블핑TV), will premiere through Naver’s TV Cast today (Thursday, 25th August) and it highlights the girls’ daily lives and everyday persona, allowing fans to know the members in a more intimate fashion.

“Thank you for all the unexpected interest and love. We are sincerely grateful. We will show more of our artistes’ charms through various contents in the future,” said a source from YG Entertainment.

BLACKPINK is YG’s first girl group since 2NE1 in 2009 and they are made up of members Jennnie Kim, Lisa, Rose, and Jisoo.

On 8th August, the rookie group made their long-awaited debut with double title tracks Boombayah (붐바야)” and “Whistle (휘파람)”, which achieved #1 in various music shows and charts, including Inkigayo and Billboard’s World Digital Songs, in just 2 weeks, earning them the nickname “monster rookie”. Both of their title tracks were produced and written by Teddy, with Bekuh Boom helping out with the lyrics.

You can watch the first behind-the-scene video below:

To watch “BLANKPINK TV”, simply visit YG Family’s Naver TV Cast page here, which also contains various videos from other YG artistes as well.

For more information on BLACKPINK, visit their official Facebook page.

Sources: Soompi, YG Family’s Naver TV Cast.