#UNIQ: To Debut With “Falling In Love” On 20th Oct

Just last month, we wrote that YG Entertainment will be collaborating with Yuehua Entertainment to debut a new 5-member boy group, UNIQ. The name derived from the words “unique” and “unicorn” to symbolise their uniqueness and their pure spirit.

The group also consists of both Chinese and Korean members that have been secretly training under YG Entertainment.

And now, it has just been confirmed that UNIQ will be making their debut on 20th October with their single, “Falling In Love”!

Also, according to akp, although the group has been under intense training for the past 3 years and 9 months (1400 days in total) with YG Entertainment, UNIQ will be active under a Korean agency called Dragon Music. In China, however, they’ll be under Yuehua Entertainment, as previously mentioned.

Nevertheless, we’re excited to officially meet them this 20th! Check out their individual teasers below:

Do you already have a favourite? Let us know who and why in the comments box below!

Don’t forget to follow the UNIQ boys in Twitter and Weibo.


2nd Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards!

For the second time around, the “Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards” returns to recognize and award K-Pop idols/idol groups for their outstanding performances in the past year.

Held in South Korea by the national music record chart, Gaon Chart, this major music awards show focuses more on songs and albums on top of artistes and songs that have received the most attention and love throughout the year. Award finalists are based on the previous year’s Gaon year-end chart performance according to aggregated data for sales of songs and albums.

This year’s awards show aka the “2nd Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards” will be held at the Seoul Olympic Hall on 13th February 2013 (Wednesday) at 7pm (KST). Weeks leading to the awards night, Gaon revealed their guest line-up which includes attendees such as BIGBANG, Super Junior, Wonder Girls (sans Sunye), TVXQ, T-ara, SNSD TTS, 2NE1, and more. It will be hosted by music producer and DJ Joo Young Hoon and Gain (of “Brown Eyed Girls”), with 16 awards to be given out as well as awards for every month of 2012.

The “2nd Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards” ceremony will be broadcasted across all three of KBS’ channels (KBS Joy, KBS Drama, and KBS WORLD). Live streaming will be made available here and here. Do take note that the red carpet event starts at 5:30pm (KST).

For more information, visit the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards’ official website.

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#INFINITE: Member L Set To Act In Chinese Web Drama “Black Cat”

The ever-handsome L is returning to the small screen for another drama.

This time, it will be a Chinese web drama named “Black Cat”. L, who uses his real name Kim Myungsoo for his acting activities, has been cast as the lead actor for the drama, revealed an inside source.

Script reading has finished and the first filming is ahead of us.

The first filming is said to take place in the country side next week. “(L)’s understanding of the project is extraordinary and he’s working with passion,” the insider gushed about L.

Not much details have been released about the drama, but it is known that L will portray a top actor named Ho Yeon. His character is described to be a caring and sweet actor who receives the adoration and admiration of many female fans.

L has proved his worth as an actor, starring in several drama since his debut with Infinite, such as “Shut Up Flower Boy Band”, “Master’s Sun”, “Cunning Single Lady”, and “My Lovely Girl”. He is also reportedly involved in “The Blue of My Heart”, a drama that will be aired simultaneously in Japan, Korea, and China.

The singer will also make his film debut later this year with the Korean movie “Mr. Shark.”


#1989WorldTourLive: Taylor Swift’s 1989 Tour Concert Film Coming To Apple Music

Didn’t get to go to the Taylor Swift “The 1989 World Tour” anywhere in the world? Fret not. It’s coming to you.

Known to be one of the most gracious givers in the world of pop, Taylor Swift aka Tay Tay took to her Twitter on her 26th birthday to announce a little something special. But not for herself. For her fans :)

Yuh huh! That surprise was a trailer for her “The 1989 World Tour” concert film. From what we know, the video was filmed in Sydney, Australia in late November and it will include the full live performance with Tay Tay and many superstar guests (Selena Gomez, Wiz Khalifa, Alanis Morissette, Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, etc.), as well as previously unseen behind the scenes moments and rehearsals.

Apple Music will exclusively debut the film on 20th December, just in time for Christmas. If you are an Apple Music subscriber you can watch “The 1989 World Tour Live” film on your iPhone, Apple TV, iPad, Mac, PC, or Android. And yes, Apple Music is the only place that you’ll be able to watch the concert so bookmark this link because it’ll come in handy, Swifty!

For more information, hit up Taylor’s Swift website or Facebook page.


Heroic Delivery Man Saves Toddler From Plunging To Her Death

Not all heroes wear capes and sometimes, there are everyday heroes in our lives.

This delivery man is one such hero. He saved a young child from falling to her death from the 12th floor with courage and some quick thinking.

On 28th February around 5pm, Nguyen Ngoc Manh (aged 31) was waiting in his car with a package for one of the residents. He heard a baby bawling, but assumed “she was being yelled (at) by her mothers“. That changed when he heard someone screaming for help.

“I stuck my head out of the car, looking around, and saw a girl climbing out of the balcony,” he recounted. “I plunged out of the car immediately and found ways to climb into the nearby building. I mounted on a 2-meter-high tile roof to seek a proper position to get the girl.” Mr. Manh’s plan was to prevent the toddler from falling to the ground, but luckily, she fell into his lap. As he cradled the child, he noticed blood leaking from her mouth and she was rushed to the nearest hospital.

The 2-year-old (although certain publications say she is 3), had broken her arm and leg in the fall, but had no life-threatening injury. While Mr. Manh only had a sprained wrist, he was still shaken after the rescue. “Everything happened within minutes. I didn’t understand how I could scale the roof that quickly. I couldn’t believe I saved the girl’s life,” he said in an interview with VN Express.

Chu Ngoc Anh, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi awarded Mr. Manh a bonus and a certificate of honour for his bravery and quick thinking. According to Mr. Manh, the incident has also made him popular on social media, with his follower count increased rapidly. However, he doesn’t see himself as a hero, claiming to dislike the moniker. “I don’t see myself as a hero. I just want to do good,” he stated to VN Express.

Hero or not, we are grateful that people like Mr. Manh are willing to risk their lives for others.

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#giveuskpop: Ban K-Pop? How Dare You..

All hell has broken loose around the world today when netizens found that K-Pop entertainment agency, Cube Entertainment’s artistes’ music videos were being blocked for international fans. Cube Entertainment is home to popular K-Pop idols/idols groups such as 4Minute, B2ST, G.NA, and HyunA and also label liaison with Universal Music Group.

Reports from K-Pop fanbases said that Universal wanted to keep K-pop in Korea and was subsequently blocking videos in the U.S. and U.K. with other countries soon to follow.

The online pandemonium first took place with the Twitter hashtag #giveuskpop taking over the popular social media platform. “UMG” also became a worldwide trending topic:

Soon after, the mob of angry K-Pop fans started a petition against the sudden K-Pop music videos ban, with some netizens stating, “UMG has no right to be blocking KPOP videos from YouTube. They can’t tell us what music to listen to and therefore, they can’t tell us whether or not we can listen to KPOP or not” and “These videos are the only way we can connect with our idols. We as international fans barely even see these idols for heaven’s sakes and by blocking these videos you’re just basically destroying our only connection and our love of kpop!! This is just so racist! I thought the world was all over this racism issue!”.

All that retaliation was enough to put the music videos back online – namely, HyunA’s “Bubble Pop!”:

[youtube id=”bw9CALKOvAI” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Upon further review, Billboard found Vevo accounts for 4Minute, G.NA, B2ST, and HyunA and realized that those were the accounts that had certain music videos blocked for certain countries but the original YouTube accounts still have the videos available.

Conclusion? The music videos weren’t irrationally blocked. UMG could’ve just been trying to redirect traffic to the Vevo sites in order for their company to get money for each view. And it may be a transitioning move to actually make K-pop more visible in the U.S. market as Vevo is the largest U.S. website for music videos due to their connection with YouTube.


Highlights From Farm Fresh’s “Picnic In The Farm” Concert Carnival

Name us a better way to end 2019 than witnessing great live music as well as enjoying the picturesque natural view all at the same time?  The good people at Farm Fresh Sdn Bhd got it covered.

Held at the company’s owned cattle ranch located at Ladang 16, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) last weekend, the “Picnic At The Farm” concert carnival featured a massive star-studded lineup including the top 8 “Gegar Vaganza” season 6 (GV6) contestants as well as “Big Stage 2” winner Han Byul (한별).

According to CEO Mr. Azmi Zainal, the event aims to honour the company’s team and employees for their hard work. “This concert is also considered as a follow-up to the popular ‘Gegar Vaganza’ show. However, it is only targeted to our stockists as well as those who were involved,” he told MCs Bell Ngasri and Fiza Frizzy.

“Additionally, I’ve also invited a few loyal customers who have been supporting Farm Fresh from day 1. In regards to the selection of the venue, I believe the location strongly portrays the image of the product that we’ve carried,” Mr. Azmi shared during the event.

Apart from enjoying live performances, fans also got to take part in other interesting activities such as zumba dance and fun games with the participating artistes. For those who don’t know, the concert was fully pre-recorded for airing that will take place sometime this month.

Speaking of the concert, the crowd couldn’t help but went all out during the performances. They waved and sang along to the performing acts’ take on popular jams such as “Vroom Vroom” (performed by Noorshila Amin), “Untukmu Selamanya” (Sham Visa) and “Luka dan Bahagia” (Han Byul).

Besides that, other songs that were covered during the event include “Kembara” (One Nation Emcees), “Darah Muda” (Wann), “Cinta Luar Biasa” (Hady Mirza) and “Episod Cinta” (Naqiu). Die-hard fans also got the opportunity to take part in a meet and greet session with the singers afterwards.

Before the show ended, Mr. Azmi spilled some interesting news for loyal supporters of their products. It was revealed that Ladang 16 will be picked up as an agro-tourism centre when it opens for public this coming February 2020.

“I’ve received a lot of requests from everyone who are interested to pay their visit to our farm. The agro-tourism centre will have an industrial concept as the main attraction. Besides the cattle farm, there are also other attractions such as koi fish ponds, botanical and vegetable gardens. I will also set the floral garden to look exactly like the ones you can find at Amsterdam,” he jokingly said.

For those who are interested, the concert is slated to premiere on 15th January 2020 on Astro RIA (channel 104) and RIA HD (channel 123).

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#PiratesOfTheCaribbean5: Keira Knightley Expected To Return As Elizabeth Swann

It feels like ages ago when the original “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” became a surprise Hollywood hit. Moving into the 5th instalment, Disney seems to be pulling all the stops to make “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” the biggest movie yet.

We already know that Orlando Bloom is returning as Will Turner, but now, word on the street has it that we could be getting a true Black Pearl reunion with Keira Knightley reprising her role as the swash-buckling Elizabeth Swann.

Although the 31-year-old actress wasn’t expected to return at all, The Mirror and Too Fab reported that the Hollywood star had already filmed her top secret scenes at Shepperton studios last month alongside her 2 original co-stars Johnny Depp and Bloom.

With that said, her role will only consist of a “small cameo during the end credits”, suggesting that Knightley will have a bigger part in the already announced “Pirates of the Caribbean 6”. Of course, it’s worth noting that these sources are merely unidentified “industry insiders”, so it’s best to take this with a grain of salt.

Would all you Captain Jack Sparrow fans like to see the return of Elizabeth Swann?

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” will set sail to cinemas on 25th May 2017.

Sources: Bleeding Cool, The Mirror, Movie Web.


#KingKong: Legendary Moves Prequel To Warner Bros For Possible Godzilla Crossover

Godzilla, the King of Monsters and King Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World, might reunite in one cinematic universe for an epic battle.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Legendary Pictures is planning to move its “King Kong” prequel, “Kong: Skull Island“, from Universal Pictures to Warner Bros. Talks are currently underway between the 3 studios.

If it’s a done deal, Legendary could team up with Warner Bros for a possible Godzilla/King Kong crossover.

The 2014 rebooted version of Toho Co.’s “Godzilla“, which was directed by Gareth Edward, was a co-production between Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. It was positively received by critics and fans, with some praising its slow pace and build-up. It also grossed around $200 million on a $160 million budget.

During last year’s Comic-Con at San Diego, Legendary announced that a sequel to “Godzilla” will be released in 2018. At that time, the studio also made a surprise announcement about a “King Kong” prequel, with British actor Tom Hiddleston starring in the lead role.

In just a few weeks, Legendary will begin shooting “Kong: Skull Island”. Though the move from Universal Pictures to Warner Bros is not a done deal yet, we are unsure if it will cause a delay in shooting. It was further reported that there are plans to put future “Kong” films in the same cinematic universe as the “Godzilla” films, to which WB owns the sequel rights.

It surely won’t be the first time that the 2 titans are being placed in the same universe as they’ve previously squared off in Toho Co’s “King Kong vs Godzilla” in 1962. It’s just a matter of time before they reunite.

Apart from Hiddleston, “Kong: Skull Island” also stars Toby Kebbell, Brie Larson, Tom Wilkinson, Jason Mitchell, and Corey Hawkins (of “Straight Outta Compton” fame). Jordan Vogt-Roberts (of “The Kings of Summer” fame) will direct it based on a script by John Gatins and Max Borenstein. Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni, who previously worked together on “Godzilla”, will produce it while Alex Garcia will serve as the executive producer.

“Kong: Skull Island” is currently slated for release on 10th March 2017.

While plot details are still vague, the story will be set in the mysterious, dangerous home of the king of the apes as a team of explorers venture deep inside the island.

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#GSCinemas: 11-Screen Multiplex In Nu Sentral Mall Launched

Leading cinema chain, Golden Screen Cinemas Sdn Bhd (GSC) kicked off their 2015 expansion plan with the launch of 11-screen multiplex in NU Sentral Mall today, located next to the nation’s largest transit hub – Stesen Sentral Kuala Lumpur.

With its strategic location, GSC NU Sentral will be easily accessible via rail, bus or car and is set to enhance the entertainment lifestyle of movie fans in the Klang Valley and beyond.

Speaking at the launch event, Ms Koh Mei Lee (GSC Chief Executive Officer) shared:

The C’s best sums up how the mall and GSC NU Sentral has to offer movie fans – an opportunity to be connected to family and friends as they can converge in a captivating cinema environment and enjoy a seamless movie experience with the convenience of GSC’s online and mobile apps ticketing system via Windows Phone, iOS, and Android.

GSC NU Sentral customers will enjoy clarity with the fully digitalised cinema halls and an immersive cinema-going experience in the THX-certified Hall 3 which is further enhanced with the new Dolby Atmos revolutionary audio technology that transports cinema-goers into an extraordinary entertainment “3D” sound experience”.

With a total of 1,783 seating capacity (includes 22 wheelchair spaces) in GSC NU Sentral, movie fans can look forward to a wider selection of movies in NU Sentral Mall. Total seating capacity for the four GSC locations in the heart of Kuala Lumpur now adds up to 7,432 seats in 44 screens, i.e. GSC NU Sentral, GSC Quill City Mall, GSC Berjaya Times Square, and GSC Pavilion KL.

Online ticketing and concession facility (GSC e-Payment and e-Combo) for both internet and mobile purchases (via GSC Mobile app –Windows Phone, iOS and Android) are available in GSC NU Sentral. This includes auto-gate features to provide convenience to customers

Besides movies, GSC NU Sentral is also an ideal venue to host corporate and private events such as product launches, conferences and seminars as it is equipped with audio-visual presentation facilities in addition to comfortable seating.

In conjunction with GSC NU Sentral opening, the customers can look forward to GSC’s collaboration with NU Sentral’s F&B tenants, Simply D and Sakae Sushi from 29th Jan – 28th Feb. For every purchase of 2 GSC NU Sentral tickets, customers will receive F&B vouchers from Sakae Sushi (RM 15 cash voucher with minimum spend of RM 50) and Simply D (Get 1 Simply D ice-cream of your choice).

Bring along your family and friends to participate in the on-ground movie themed activities – “Jupiter Ascending”, “Kingsman: The Secret Service”, “Dragon Blade”, “Project Almanac”, catch Avengers cosplay and happy clowns special appearances from 31st Jan – 3rd Feb and 7th and 8th Feb 2015.

GSC’s expansion plan will continue with a brand new 11-screen GSC Ipoh Parade on 5th Feb 2015 and followed by 13-screen GSC IOI City Mall, Putrajaya soon.

For more information, visit GSC’s website or Facebook page.


(UPDATE) #SNSD: Screenshots Of #CatchMeIfYouCan Ft. Jessica Leaked Online

There’s no denying that K-pop fans can be real sleuths if they put their hearts and souls into the “case” that they’re investigating.

Last April, SONEs (as fans of SNSD are lovingly known), dug up an old video of ex-SNSD member Jessica Jung singing during her reality show “Jessica & Krystal”.

What’s wrong with her singing, you ask? Well, nothing big really, except the fact that the tune Jessica was singing along to was coincidentally similar to SNSD’s Japanese comeback track, “Catch Me If You Can“. That raised the possibility that Jessica was originally involved in their Japanese comeback.

Now, new evidence has been uncovered by fans as several screenshots of an allegedly different version of the music video, which features Jessica, have been leaked.

While some fans expressed that the images might have been tampered with, other fans argued that Tiffany could be seeing sporting 2 different hairstyles in the screenshots and in the official music video. They claim that this dismisses the possibility of the images being edited.

Take a look at it in the photo gallery below and judge for yourself:

CMIYC ot9 version & ot8 version pic.twitter.com/IGuoeYDyRK

As if to confirm the fact that Jessica was indeed part of the music video production at first, SM Entertainment has allegedly contacted the uploader of the photos and advice them against publishing the full music video online. SM Entertainment stated that they would file a lawsuit if the uploader insists on doing otherwise. This further fueled speculations that a different version of the music video does indeed exist.

Jessica, who is commonly known as “ice princess” to fans, claimed that she was kicked out of the girl group by the talent agency on a Weibo post dated 3oth September 2014. SM Entertainment responded by stating that she was dismissed from the group due to constant conflicts between her personal and group schedule.

Since then, she hasn’t joined SNSD in their world tours and music activities. She is currently active in developing her solo fashion label, BLANC & ECLARE.

Would you want to see the version of the music video which featured Jessica? Do you think that Jessica’s absence from the official music video made a difference? Leave your thoughts in the comments box below.

The alternate version of the music video for “Catch Me If You Can”, which featured Jessica, has been leaked. It was first uploaded on the Chinese file sharing website Pan Baidu, and was available for download, but has since been removed. However, several fans who were swift in downloading the video have re-uploaded it on YouTube.

Both versions are almost indistinguishable, except for the fact that glimpses of Jessica can be seen throughout the leaked video.

You can watch the leaked music video here:

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#TheInterview: Sony Pictures To Release Movie For Free?

For a moment there, it seemed like Sony Pictures was bowing down to the “Guardians of Peace” (GOP) hackers, presumed to be North Koreans, when they decided to pull “The Interview” out of the cinemas and cancel its release altogether. The move sparked an outrage in the US, with both potential audiences, celebrities, and even US President Barack Obama himself criticising the decision.

“I wish they had spoken to me first. We cannot have a society in which some dictatorship someplace can start imposing censorship,” President Barack Obama was quoted as saying.

But now, it looks like the public might get a chance to watch the movie after all.

“The Interview” is a film is about a fictional plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. On 8th Dec, the GOP hackers group which claimed to have hacked Sony’s servers demanded that its movie studio pull the controversial movie, which led people to believe that North Korea was behind the unlawful intrusion. But on Sunday (7th Dec), North Korea denied involvement in the brazen cyber attack on Sony Pictures. They did, however, praise it as a “righteous deed” potentially orchestrated by supporters furious.

The massive hack also led to embarrassing Sony Pictures “intellectual property” leaks, ranging from stolen scripts to unleashing of celebrities’ private files into the waiting arms of media outlets around the world – to say the least.

According to Sony Pictures attorney David Boeis, the studio was only delaying the release. Speaking to “Meet the Press”on 21st Dec, he confirmed that Sony has been fighting to get “The Interview” distributed and it will distributed. However, how it’s going to be distributed is still unknown because Sony Pictures is still exploring options for distribution.

That having said, new unconfirmed reports from the NY Post indicated that the movie may be shown online for free on Crackle, an online streaming service backed by..well, who else but Sony Pictures? Crackle makes money through ads but not through subscriptions or rental transactions, thereby limiting its revenue potential and its appeal to Sony.

After all, “The Interview” cost a reported USD44 million to make therefore it’s a no-brainer that Sony would like to recoup at least some of those costs.

Aside from Crackle, there’s also a possibility that “The Interview” would end up being distributed through a cable video-on-demand service or an online streaming release, on a service like Netflix (NFLX, Tech30), Google (GOOG)’s YouTube, or Hulu. But these are all just assumptions for now because Netflix and YouTube have yet to respond to the rumours.

There is a strange and unexpected twist to all of this though. Just this morning, TechCrunch reported that BitTorrent has offered Sony a way to release “The Interview” on its own servers. The peer-to-peer file distribution network believes BitTorrent Bundle is the best way to satisfy both those asking for an online distribution and Sony’s desire to release the film.

Like everyone else around the world, we’ve been following this egregious hacking of Sony’s servers over the past few weeks.

A trend has emerged among commentary in the days since Sony announced they would not release the motion picture, “The Interview.” There have been calls for Sony to release the film online. And many have contacted us asking: Would they be able to release the movie using BitTorrent?

Though we normally would not offer commentary during such a trying time for another company, the answer is yes. BitTorrent Bundle is in fact the very best way for Sony to take back control of their film, not acquiesce to terrorists threats, and to ensure a wide audience can view the film safely. It would also strike a strong note for free speech.

Bundle has a self-publishing platform that anyone from Sony can use: https://bundles.bittorrent.com/publish. Using the paygate option, Sony are able to set the price for the film and release it widely without implicating anyone or exposing any third party to a terrorist threat.

We disagree, however, with some that have suggested that Sony should make the film available through piracy sites. That would only serve to encourage bad actors. It’s also important to make the distinction that these piracy sites are not “torrent sites.” They are piracy sites that are wrongfully exploiting torrent technology.

BitTorrent Bundle is a safe and legal way for Sony to release this film and they would join the nearly 20,000 creators and rights holders now using the Bundle publishing platform.

BitTorrent says it has reached out to Sony with the offer to use its servers, but that Sony execs have so far not responded.

Sources: IGN, NY Post (1), TechCrunch, CNN, NY Post (2).

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Murdered Pastor May Have Known Killer

It has been a week but the whodunit question is still looming large in the murder of an American pastor, whom police believe might have known his killer. 61-year-old David James Ginter was found bound and murdered at his double-storey house in Taman Sri Ukay in Hulu Klang on 4th May 2013. His neighbour, who had a spare key, discovered the body when he was asked by Ginter’s wife to check on him.

Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Amiruddin Jamaluddin said that post-mortem results showed that Ginter had died of asphyxiation due to gagging and neck compression. Police, he said, had been combing the area for new leads:

Initial investigations revealed that his wife last contacted him at 10pm on Friday. She tried calling him the next day but failed and asked the neighbour to check on him

There were no signs of struggle. His Toyota Avanza with the registration plate WRS 4390 is also missing. We are not ruling out robbery as the motive and that the victim might have known the killer. We have spoken to the neighbour, who discovered the body, but no arrests have been made so far.

He added that police had recorded statements from 20 people and advised the public not to speculate on the case and leave the matter to the police. David James Ginter’s wife, Sheryl had arrived in Malaysia from Australia following the tragedy.

Meanwhile, a memorial had been created online in memory of the pastor.


Pharrell Williams Might Be Looking At Another Lawsuit From Marvin Gaye’s Family

Uh oh, Pharrell Williams could soon be very unhappy.

Williams and Robin Thicke recently lost a multi-million dollar lawsuit to Marvin Gaye’s family for the song “Blurred Lines” which Gaye’s family claimed to was plagiarised from Gaye’s 1970’s single “Got To Give It Up”. The duo along with featured rapper T.I were ordered to pay a total of USD7.3 million in damages.

Now, the Gaye family is sound off on another one of Pharrell’s mega-hit, “Happy“.

“I’m not going to lie. I do think they sound alike,” Nona Gaye, Marvin’s daughter, told CBS of Pharrell’s “Happy” and Gaye’s 1965 song “Ain’t That Peculiar.”

Gaye performed vocals on “Ain’t That Peculiar,” which was written by Pete Moore, William “Smokey” Robinson, Bobby Rogers and Marv Tarplin. The song peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Pharrell’s 2014 hit “Happy” which was also the soundtrack for “Despicable Me 2”, took the world by storm as it sold an estimated 10 million units worldwide, won the Grammy for best music video and topped Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 songs chart.

However, Gaye’s family are not considering legal action against Pharrell. Not for now, at least.

Marvin’s ex-wife, Janis Gaye, said her family would savour their most recent legal victory, before thinking of launching another one.

“We’re just in the moment today and we’re satisfied,” she noted. “I heard the mash-ups — but I didn’t really need to hear them. I know “Ain’t That Peculiar” and I’ve heard “Happy””.

Listen to the mashup of “Happy” and “Ain’t That Peculiar” below and let us know what you think by sounding off in the comments section.

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Rita Rudaini Calls Blogger Zhafvlog “Half Cow, Half Pig” After Being Insulted

Malaysian actress Rita Rudaini took to her Instagram Stories earlier today to vent her anger towards a well-known online film reviewer/blogger known by his moniker Zhafvlog.

According to Murai, the drama between the duo started after the latter posted an edited version of the poster for her upcoming movie called “Rumah Maduku Berhantu” (where he had switched the title to “Maduku Antivaksin) on his social media, to which she apparently found it very offensive.

Seemingly dismayed by this, the 45-year-old remarked,  “God gave you brains to think, not to insult other people. A lot of Muslims like you tend to throw shade at people who refuse to get vaccinated. Please, don’t downgrade Islam, bro. You turned into a cow immediately after taking your jab. God created you to become a human-being, but you have opted to become an animal instead.”

Rita (full name Rita Rudaini Mokhtar) continued to put Zhafvlog on blast in her subsequent post. She wrote, “This cow-like blogger will often share stupid content online. Does your brain only function on that level? C’mon, we’re just a couple of months away from 2022, but you had to behave like a trash blogger. Still, he doesn’t look like one at all. He looks more like a half cow and half pig.”

Speaking of which, Rita’s upcoming film will be available in local cinemas next month.


#Bunkface: Punk Trio To Celebrate 10th Year Anniversary With Special Concert

What’s up Bunkers? Are y’all ready to rock out with your favourite group later this year?

In celebration of their 10th year anniversary in the music industry, Bunkface will be holding a special concert titled “Bunkface X Live in Kuala Lumpur”, set to take place this coming December.

Aside from celebrating a decade long of thriving in the music biz, the members of Bunkface – Sam, Youk, and Paan – are also taking this opportunity to show their appreciation and gratitude to their loyal fans for their years of support. The upcoming 2-hour concert will consist 20 of their famous hits including “Masih Di Sini”, “Situasi”, “Panik”, “Darah Muda” and more.

The Malaysian punk trio who was recently signed to Universal Music Malaysia, has also been nominated for MTV Europe Music Awards (MTV EMAs) 2016 in the Best Southeast Asia Act category, going up against our very own Yuna.

Brought to you by Universal Music Malaysia and Bunkface Production, the details to “Bunkface X Live in Kuala Lumpur” concert are as follows:

Tickets are available via myticket.asia. You can also check out Bunkface’s official Facebook page for more information.


New Law Against Animal Abusers

Remember the Petknode case that sent pet owners (both directly involved and not involved) reeling with shock when the “hell hotel” left the cats starving, dehydrated, covered in waste, and some dead? Who can forget the case of the dogs that were cruelly dumped on a mangrove island, left to die or to feed on each other before they were rescued by the late Sabrina Yeap?

How about the case of Sushi the poodle who was forced to stand on its hind legs and then brutally abused by his owners? You may remember the video of the incident that went viral:

Or, let’s take this to an even more recent case where a sun bear and a retired racehorse were poisoned to death at the Malacca Zoo and Night Safari.

All of the above are incidents that pet owners and pet lovers in Malaysia will find extremely difficult to shake. But thankfully, a new law that is ready for tabling in Parliament is about to get nasty with animal abusers.

Proposed as the “Animal Welfare Bill”, first time offenders will be fined between RM20,000 and RM100,000 or sit behind bars for up to three years. Repeated offenders will not only be fined up to double the amount imposed for their previous offence, but also face at least three months in jail for each offence.

Currently, the penalty for animal abuse is a fine of up to RM50,000, not more than a year’s jail, or both, following last year’s amendments to the Animal Act 1953. Prior to the amendments, the penalty was a paltry RM200 fine, six months’ jail or both.

Veterinary Department director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin said of the proposal:

The final draft of the Bill which included several amendments suggested by participants in a series of public engagements was also aimed at more extensive and intensive enforcement of the law. Animals cannot talk, they cannot take to the streets, and hold a demonstration. We need to have something punitive to act as a deterrent against animal abuse. The severity of the penalties was proposed by the public, not just by us.

Dr Abdul Aziz also mentioned that he hoped the Bill could be debated and passed by Parliament this year for it to be gazetted and enforced in 2014.

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#Malaysia: 3,000 Chinese Tourists Cancel Trips To Malaysia Due To Tourism Tax

According to Borneo Post, 3,000 Chinese tourists have cancelled their trips to Malaysia after it was announced that Malaysia will start imposing its tourism tax from 1st August 2017. The said Chinese tourists, who cancelled their plans because they had to pay tourism tax of about RM100,000, have chosen Thailand as their preferred destination instead.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah reacted to the news saying, “This is what Malaysian Association of Hotels has informed me too and the reason why I wanted to have the enforcement date deferred and not to rush through the tourism tax. I will hold on temporarily.”

Abdul Karim added that he would be going to Sabah next week for finer deliberation on a joint approach with the state on the controversial tax. “It is not to oppose the tax in toto but we want consultation as it affects the state as well as tourism players in the state. We know for sure that the tourism tax is being imposed in many countries in the world but rushing through the tax implementation can have some adverse effects,” he said.

“Many packages were arranged during MATTA Fair in February and March 2017 which are still valid until Dec 31, 2017 but then who is going to bear the ‘extras’ in tourism tax? Apart from that, the methodology of how the tax is collected and disbursed has also not been finalised,” he added.

In February this year, it was reported that Sabah’s tourism industry had its best year ever in 2016, achieving an all-time high of 3.43 million tourist arrivals and RM7.25 billion tourism receipts.

“International visitors alone saw a 15.4 per cent increase and, unsurprisingly, China was the biggest contributor, recording a 51.8 per cent increase from the year before,” State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said, adding that Australia was also an emerging market, despite having only one direct flight a week from Perth.

Tourism tax is a tax charged at a specific rate on a tourist staying at any accommodation premises provided by an operator of the said accommodation premises. It will be collected from various premises used as accommodation for tourists except homestays and kampung stays, premises that are maintained by religious institutions not for commercial purposes, and accommodation premises with fewer than 10 rooms.

Tax rates start from RM2.50 per room per night at a non-rated accommodation to RM20 per room per night at a 5-star accommodation.

The tourism tax will affect both Malaysians who are travelling within Malaysia as well as foreigners regardless of the purpose of the trip. Keep in mind that this is on top of service charge (10%) and GST (6%).

Sources: Borneo Post, MMO / Featured image: Shutterstock.


#YNWA: Liverpool Returns To Malaysia, To Play Friendly Match In July

English Premier League club Liverpool announced today that they will be making their way back to Kuala Lumpur this July to play a friendly match against a Malaysian XI. The Reds are set to take part in the exhibition on 24th July 2015 at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, the club confirmed on their website today (18th March).

Apart from taking part in the exhibition, the team will also be “carrying out work in the community”, and taking part in events with the official supporters’ clubs. Liverpool’s full squad and coaching staff from the club’s official charity Liverpool FC Foundation will be among those coming to Malaysia.

The Reds were last here Kuala Lumpur in 2011 as part of their pre-season tour. Upon the announcement, Liverpool FC CEO Ian Ayre said, “The tour gives our supporters a chance to see the team up close, no matter how far away from Anfield they might live.”

Football Association of Malaysia’s general secretary Hamidin Haji Mohd Amin added:

Watching our Malaysian XI play Liverpool is going to be an enthralling experience for all fans. It’s not that we often get to see English Premier League stars. We watch them in awe on our television sets as they take on their opponents, mesmersing them with their gifted football skills.

Liverpool will also play 2 friendlies against Australian A-League clubs earlier in July as part of their pre-season tour. More details to be announced later!

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12 Brand Promos To Help Malaysians #JustStayAtHome During MCO

The Movement Control Order enacted by the government to combat the Covid-19 pandemic has caused Malaysians to whine about how bored they would be at home. Despite being in the age of the internet in which entertainment is just a finger tip away, we still have people sneaking off to places to meet up with their friends and family.

It is obvious that convenience and entertainment indoors could drill a hole in your wallet, there are a number of brands offering promos to Malaysians to help them in their plight to #JustStayAtHome. From meals, data and entertainment, here are some companies offering promos encouraging Malaysians to stay put.

First up, the entertainment subscriptions and it seems like Astro is providing some good offerings to keep Malaysians from moving about. Astro is offering complimentary movie and news channels until 31st March 2020. There are a number of good movies and television shows to watch on Astro so you can’t say that there’s nothing to do at home or that you don’t have the time to catch up on these shows or movies.

Here is a full list of all the movie channels:

We know that it’s also important to stay updated as well as entertained during these times so it’s best to keep an eye on the news while we’re indoors.

Here is a full list of all the available news channels:

NJOI customers will also be getting free access to four additional channels. The channels are: KIX, Nat Geo WILD, Celestial Movies, and Cartoon Network. All complimentary viewings will end on 11.59 pm on Tuesday, 31st March 2020.

In addition to all that, they are also opening their Astro GO mobile services to all Malaysians until 31st March 2020. That means, even non-Astro subscribers would have access to 22 complimentary Astro channels and various On Demand titles via Astro GO.

iflix is offering free VIP access to all Malaysians and all you have to do is just use the code in the photo above and click here to redeem access. You can redeem this offer from now up till 31st March 2020 and your VIP iflix account will be active for a month.

Celcom is offering up to three family lines at 50% off so you can stay connected with your loved ones (If you’re not stuck under the same roof as them). They are also cutting Celcom Mega Lightning and Mega Unlimited to half price, making it a viable option to shop from home.

There are also offering a number of free services for all Celcom users up till 31st March 2020. The services include:

Their online services will also be available around the clock such as Celcom Life App, Celcom Online Customer Service and Celcom Online Shop. During this time, Celcom Xpax customers will also be able to enjoy 10% e-wallet cashback when they purchase reloads.

During these trying times, Digi users will be able redeem 1GB worth of free data from now until 31st March 2020. Check out the Rewards section in your MyDigi app for further information.

Digi is also offering free calls to National and State Health Department hotlines across Malaysia. You would also be able to access various official websites for free without using up your Internet quota in order to get the latest updates and/or medical advise.

For the full list of hotlines and services, click here.

Maxis has offered a plethora of services to help its users deal with the times. They have offered some initiatives to help users personally and in their business. This is what they have on offer:

U Mobile is offering its users twice the amount of data hotspot for free. You can share it members of your household or use it all for yourself cause you’re selfish like that. For more information, click here.

KFC is offering RM10 off your delivery order. Use the code JIMAT10 and enjoy unlimited redemptions of this code until 31 March 2020. A minimum order of RM30 applies. Only available for delivery orders made online. Order via KFC app or  www.kfc.com.my

A&W would be able offer free deliveries for order made via GrabFood. They are also offering#StayAtHome Bundle Meals which allow you to choose from five different combo sets. These sets include their burgers, coney and chicken. Click here for more information.

All offers are valid until 31 March 2020. Click here for more information.

Pizza Hut is offering a Buy 1 Free 1 regular pizza (delivery only) along with free delivery. Click here for more information.

Watsons stores will be open during the MCO period but there will be some incentive to shop from home as they are offering some savings. Sing up as a Watsons E-member now for only RM10 and you’ll get 2,000 Watsons points (RM10) in return. It is only valid for the first 1,000 E-members so it’s best to hurry.

We’re going to have to do our part in all this and our part is simple enough: #JustStayAtHome. That’s the only way we can combat this pandemic and go on with our lives. So, let’s utilise whatever these companies are offering from the comfort of our homes.

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Princess Eeuphelma Of Bhutan Marries Queen Bhutan’s Brother In A Closed-Door Ceremony

The King of Bhutan’s youngest sister, Princess Eeuphelma Choden Wangchuck, has recently tied the knot with the brother of Queen Jetsun Pema, Dasho Thinlay Norbu, last Thursday (October 29th).

The Royal family of Bhutan, or The House of Wangchuck, celebrated the wedding in a closed-door ceremony that was held at Dechencholing Palace in Thimphu.

The good news was shared by the King’s Court on Instagram, @kingjigmekhesar, and it shows the Royal Couple wearing the Bhutanese traditional costumes. The bride is seen wearing the Kira, which is the national dress for Bhutanese women, while the groom donned the Gho, the traditional and national attire for men in Bhutan.

Based on the post, the newly-wed couple received the blessings of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo and His Holiness the Je Khenpo. It was reported that the pair were in a relationship before and decided to get married this year, but they had chosen to do the ceremony behind closed doors due to the pandemic.

A post shared by His Majesty King Jigme Khesar (@kingjigmekhesar)

27-year-old Princess Eeuphelma Choden Wangchuck, who is the youngest step sister of the King, graduated with a major in Sociology from Georgetown University, United States in 2016. Her Royal Highness is also the President of the Bhutan Paralympic Committee, while her new husband is a trained pilot who has been flying for Bhutan’s national airline, Drukair, since 2019.

The Royal wedding has marked another union between the siblings of the couple. According to Daily Mail, the Queen’s older sister Yeatso Lhamo is married to the King’s brother Prince Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.

It is said that the Royal Couple are both active “DeSuups”, meaning the “Guardians of Peace” who volunteer for social welfare work in Bhutan.


Woman Exposed For Having Debt Problems After Flaunting Her “Wealth”

A young woman caused quite a commotion among the internet community recently after she was blatantly exposed for having a number of unsettled debts in the past.

This came after Twitter user, Rozmiza Rozman, uploaded photos of her house and car, claiming that she obtained them herself. In the caption, she advised everyone to stop comparing one’s achievement to others.

The tweet managed to gain over 11k likes online as at time of writing (Monday, 12th June). However, the financial consultant’s intention of sharing her impressive achievement ended up receiving quite a number of backlash from netizens.

In this case, Rozmiza was heavily slammed for apparently comparing others’ accomplishments which contradicted her friendly message that she initially shared, hinting that the post was merely a marketing stunt. Apart from that, twitter users discovered that she’s been dealing with long-term debt problems with her previous clients!

dari haritu lagi. kahkah. pic.twitter.com/S6WBEzapxU

Hutang kawan pon x mampu nk bayar, apa cer? Kakakakkakakkakka.. Sedih btl hidup ko dik… pic.twitter.com/JxjX4SZOuF

— Lady Morgana (@babyshima64) June 14, 2020

So boleh dah kot refund duit semua customer Nzgadget termasuk aku. Dia sendiri yg cakap kan.

It is said that the woman was previously involved in a smartphone pre-order selling business which allegedly resulted in over RM200,000 of debt over the past few years. Word has it that she did try to pay off a sum to her customers. However, these debts have not yet been settled.

In response to the massive backlash received, Rozmiza then took to her Facebook in an attempt to clear the air regarding her mounting debts. In this case, she claimed that she was tricked by a gadget company back during her student days. At that time, she was the sales agent for an unspecified company.

For those who are interested, feel free to read her full clarification here:

Do you think the haters were just being bitter with Rozmiza’s outstanding achievements? Or were they right in calling her out?

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Inspirasi 2019: Afgan’s Kuala Lumpur Concert Will Feature Sheila Majid

In less than a year since his “Konsert DEKADE Live in Kuala Lumpur 2018”, Afgan is set to return to Malaysia for a new concert.

Titled “Inspirasi” (or Inspired), the Indonesian heartthrob singer-songwriter has something interesting planned for his Malaysian fans. The singer will be inviting a very special guest artiste, which is his idol – Dato’ Sheila Majid.

Chief Executive Officer of Popcorn Studio Sdn Bhd, Mr Erik Ong said, “Afgan’s music influence and his strong popularity as well as the high demand from the local music fans are the reasons why Popcorn Studio organize this concert. Furthermore, Afgan is the
only male singer which is not our local artiste that has been doing big scale concerts every year here in Malaysia”.

“We are definitely anticipating a sold out concert as no one would want to missed out the
opportunity to witness a spectacular performance by Afgan and his idol,” Erik added.

Brought to you by Popcorn Studio, the details to Afgan’s “Inspirasi” Live in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:

Those purchase the early bird tickets under the VIP, Gold and Silver categories will be entitled to a 15% discount.


#STARWARSxRoyalSelangor: New Collection Features Kylo Ren, R2-D2, & The Podrace

Keep an eye out for more exciting collectibles from Royal Selangor’s hugely successful Star Wars collection, an on-going collaboration with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia.

This time the spotlight falls on the iconic characters and elements, both old and new, from the ever-expanding Star Wars universe.

Leading the new line-up is the limited edition Kylo Ren figurine. The powerful presence of the fiery leader of the First Order is meticulously captured. From the precise lines on his eyeless mask, the grainy texture and folds of his costume to his stance, the high level of detailing accentuates the air of menace that radiates from Darth Vader’s heir apparent.

The thrilling Podrace where Anakin Skywalker won his freedom from slavery is immortalised in a limited edition diorama.

From the rocky cliffs of Tatooine to the massive engines of the small one-man craft, the unique features of this exciting scene are beautifully recreated in 3-dimensional form.

Other must-have collectibles include the sandcrawler trinket box and the R2-D2 canister, perfect for storing valuable keepsakes. Check out more pictures from the collection below:

Do you want ’em? View these additions at any Royal Selangor retail store, authorised dealers, and online.

Meanwhile, get the lowdown on what happened behind the scenes of the #STARWARSxRoyalSelangor collaboration here.


#UberIceCream: Makes A Return; All Set To Sweeten Up Malaysia

Nothing quite encapsulates the memories of one’s childhood than enjoying ice cream with friends. This July 24th (Friday), the much loved transportation service Uber is taking you back to your childhood with ice cream on demand. Scheduled to run simultaneously in over 250 cities around the world, this will be Uber’s largest event of the year – and Uber Malaysia will be participating for the first time in this event.

While global in nature, #UberIceCream in Malaysia will feature a distinctly local flavour – flavours that all Malaysians will recognise and love. In Kuala Lumpur, Uber has joined forces with The Inside Scoop to deliver 3 distinct flavours to riders in the Klang Valley. These flavours are Chocolate Valrhona, Teh Tarik and Mango Lassi.

Uber users in Kuala Lumpur will have 2 options to pick from in the app – “Ice Cream”, which is priced at RM20 per serving of 3 cups of ice cream, and the “Ice Cream + Swag” option, which will include ice cream and exclusive Uber merchandise, priced at RM25.

In Penang, Uber is partnering with Kochabi, a maker of traditional “ice-cream potong” to deliver that sense of nostalgia to rides with flavours such as durian, read bean and mango; while folks in Johor Bahru will get to indulge on ice cream from local favourite, Scoop Bar.

Users in Penang and JB will be charged RM25 for each ice cream delivery, and this will come together with the exclusive Uber merchandise

Chances are you can’t have a water gun fight inside your office, and running through the rain likely won’t go over well with your boss. Don’t sweat it — you can still feel like a kid again with #UberIceCream. This is a global promotion with local flavour. In 253 cities, 58 countries and on 6 continents, ice cream is available at the tap of a button. On Friday, July 24, from 1pm – 9pm, Uber KL is bringing a frozen favorite to your doorstep. #uber_my #uberlove #uberondemand #uber #uberkl #kualalumpur #malaysia #icecreamyouscream #icecream

A video posted by Uber Malaysia (@uber_my) on Jul 22, 2015 at 11:06am PDT

Sounds lovely doesn’t it? Now, if you have want to be part of #UberIceCream, here are some important details to keep in mind:

To sweeten things up even more, Uber is also giving away free rides to users who have not experienced Uber before. New users in Kuala Lumpur will need to apply the promo code ‘ICECREAMKL’ to enjoy 1 Free Ride worth RM20, while new users in Penang and JB will need to apply the promo code ‘UBERICECREAMPG’ and ‘UBERICECREAMJB’ respectively to enjoy 1 Free Ride worth RM25.

New users will need to apply this code prior to making a request on the Uber system.

Celebrate your last working day of the week by taking part in #UberIceCream and don’t forget to share your cooling experience by tagging Uber on Twitter: Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru and Instagram: Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru with the hashtag #UberIceCream.

For more information, hit up Uber’s Facebook page.

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Riz Ahmed May Be Playing Carnage In #Venom

Thanks to the box office success of Sony’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming“, the studio is looking to expand the “Spider-Man” universe starting with “Venom”.

So far, it’s been confirmed that Ruben Fleischer will direct “Venom” while Tom Hardy will star as the titular character. According to new reports, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” star Riz Ahmed is currently in talks to play antagonist Carnage.

A brief character synopsis for Carnage is as follows:

“Cletus Kasady became a serial killer. He was then captured and sent to Ryker’s Island prison for 11 murders, though he bragged about killing a dozen more, where he shared a cell with Eddie Brock, the host of the alien symbiote that turns into the supervillain Venom.

“When Brock’s symbiote soon returned to be bonded again, allowing Venom to escape prison, the symbiote unknowingly left its offspring in the cell; due to its alien mindset, the symbiote felt no emotional attachment to its offspring, regarding it as insignificant, and thus never communicated its existence to Brock via their telepathic link. The new symbiote then bonded with Kasady, transforming him into Carnage.”

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

Besides “Venom”, which is expected to debut on 5th October 2018, Sony is also working on another spin-off called “Silver & Black“, featuring Black Cat and Silver Sable.

Source: Comic Book/ Featured image: Screen Rant.


Harry Styles Recalls How The Photographer Got Him To Pose Nude For Latest Album

Harry Styles recently released a new album titled “Fine Line”, which has received rave reviews from fans and critics alike. The album was described as being “all about sex and feeling sad” by the 25-year-old.

This intimate direction of the album was well recognised with songs like “Adore You” and “She” among others in the album. However, fans who bought the album were given a bit more intimacy, when a steamy picture of the British born singer posing completely nude was found inside the album.

In an interview session with Ellen Degeneres, the Brit let loose on how the photo in the album came to be. Looking embarrassed, the “Watermelon Sugar” singer described his experience with working with British photographer, Tim Walker, in order to get the picture.

He told Degeneres, “I did the photos for the album with a British photographer, Tim Walker, who I’m really big fan of, and I’d never really done a shoot like this.” He later added that, “We tried it with some other stuff (with clothes), and it was kind of one of those things, like, ‘This shirt’s not really working, so let’s try it without the shirt’.”

He continued, “And then it’s like, ‘Those trousers are not really working, so let’s try it without the trousers’. And then he kind of looked at me and I was like ‘this pants aren’t working are they?’, and he’s like no.”

Other topics discussed at the interview includes his solo trip to Japan for a month and his past relationship with ex-girlfriend Kendall Jenner. The latter of which the singer kept coy, only mentioning that he and Jenner have been friends for several years.

Fingers crossed, that the artist can find the time in his busy schedule to pay Malaysia a visit. A full concert from Styles wouldn’t be too much to ask right?


Hype Picks: Best Things To Do In The Klang Valley This Week (11th July – 17th July)

Dreamt of travelling to Japan? You don’t have to as we’re bringing Japan to you with not two, but three Japanese-centred events that will have you immersed into the colourful and flavourful world of their culture. Not only that, we have picks for everything, from partying hard to show-stopping tunes till late night to bursting out with laughter, gasping for air!

If our enthusiasm is any indication that you will enjoy the most entertaining activities you’ve ever experienced, then you better be prepared. Dress up, shop more and have fun, cause we are about to introduce this week’s Hype Picks!

Location: Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan, 51100 Kuala Lumpur 51200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

It’s more than just a Yard Sale! You can shop for unique personal home collections, plants, gadgets and appliances, books, clothes, basically anything you can think of. Not interested in shopping? Then, rent a picnic mat and entertain yourself with the lush greenery, floating giant bubbles and a serenade from the KLPAC Symphonic Band.

Connect with the Konmari Warriors at their Car Boot Yard Sales in the Park for the best deals they can offer. Check out their Facebook for more info!

2. Jom Beli Lokal – Expo Bluedome Bazaar

Location: Sapura@Mines, 7 Jalan Tasik, Seri Kembangan, Selangor

Shop till you drop with ‘Jom Beli Lokal’—a community event initiated to support the local businesses and micro-entrepreneurs. With over 60 stalls across the categories of bundle sales, fashion, food and beverage, beauty and cosmetics, mobile accessories and electronics item.

Other activities include the Durian Festival, Push Bike and Colouring Contest and Lucky Draws. Feel free to visit their Facebook for more information.

3. Comedy Experience Malaysia with Rachman Blake

Location: The Bee, Publika, Jalan Dutamas 1, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur 50480

Turn that frown upside down, folks! Rachman Blake—from the hit world-touring comedy show Story Party (True Dating Stories)—is here to tickle your funny bones with hilarious stories, crazy misadventures, silly songs and ridiculous fun. Get your tickets here!

Calling all cosplayers and cosplay enthusiast! Your time has come. Join in the fun and take pictures with your favourite cosplays or participate in the Cosplay Skit, Anisong Lip-Sync and Coswalk contests and go home with rewarding prizes!

There’s many fascinating guests, performers and special appearances that you just don’t want to miss! Check out their Facebook to see what’s in store for you next week.

Location: Kompleks Sukan Negara Panasonic, Shah Alam

Get your yukatas and kimonos ready and indulge in the Japanese culture with Bon Odori 2022! Bon Odori is a Japanese festival named after a famous folk dance in Japan. Join the annual popular summer event and partake in the traditional Japanese street cuisine. Head on over to Facebook to register!

Location: The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC), Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, 51100, Kuala Lumpur

Discover why this 120-year-old building is an important historical landmark and award-winning architectural icon in the all-access guided tour of Malaysia’s only fully-integrated arts centre. What usually is off-limits such as the catwalk, you will be given a chance to explore!

Join the extended experience activity “First Experience of Stage Lighting Design” with lighting designer Amelia Tan as she shares some behind-the-scenes work for the stage play “Philadelphia, Here I Come!”, for you to experience the life of working in theatre. Check out their Facebook to learn more about the event.

7. Central i-City K-pop Jam Dance Competition

Location: Central i-City 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

What are you going to do about all these K-Pop dance moves you’ve learned? Flaunt them at the Central i-City K-Pop Jam dance cover competition. Witness Malaysian K-Pop dance crews battle amongst each other to be the best on stage! Two categories, U18 and Open Category, for two days

Register before 13th July by 6pm and show off your talent at this daebak dance competition. For more info, head on over to Facebook!

Show your support for the brand ambassadors for Zoo Negara, Johan Speaking Academy’s students. The Kids Ambassador Program teaches children of ages 5 to 11 years old to improve their communication skills, share key messages and leadership qualities. Join the event and watch as the young face the real world confidently.

Location: GSC @ NU Sentral, 201 Jalan Stesen Sentral 5,14, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan

“Girls Don’t Cry” by Shindo Takehiro is a story about two girls—famous in Harajuku street fashion by wearing matching outfits— struggle to achieve their dreams as their fragile friendship hangs by a thread. Don’t know Japanese? No worries as English subtitles are provided. Click here to book now!

Location: REXKL, 80 Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor 50000

Sway to the music with Mambo KL—a one-night only retro music showcase at REXKL. In collaboration with Singapore-based lifestyle Tin Box Group, Mambo KL features live gigs from Singapore’s most popular veteran brands Jive Talkin’ and radio celebrity DJ Rico. Dance the night away as they play retro tunes from the 70s to 90s.

Neetashini Kanendran contributed to this article

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#Rio2016: Give Our Paralympians A Hero’s Welcome At KLIA Tomorrow

Our Paralympians have rewarded us with joy and delight, and now, it’s time for us to shower them with our love and appreciation.

Malaysia’s contingent of Paralympians is slated to arrive in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) tomorrow (Thursday, 22nd September) at 3:05pm, and the public are invited to welcome them.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin revealed that the Paralympians will be ushered to the Bunga Raya Complex upon arrival. They will be greeted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and the family members’ of the Paralympians.

“They will then be brought to Kuala Lumpur at 5pm for a 10km parade in the city centre. This will be a golden heroes’ welcome. (…) I really need Malaysians to come out. If you say you care about the Paralympians and if you’re in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday afternoon, then please come out to celebrate them,” he continued.

The parade will begin in Jalan Tun Razak and end at around 7pm at the Paralympic Sports Excellence Centre in Kampung Pandan. En route, they will be making 2 stops: at KLCC (in front of Petronas Filharmonik Hall) and Jalan Bukit Bintang (in front of Pavilion’s water fountain). Each stop will last for around 15 minutes.

“They are deserving of this grand welcome, based on their extraordinary performance. These are the best results we have ever achieved in any Paralympic Games and this is also the first time we have won gold medals. This is also our way of showing our appreciation to them. The Olympians, they had the National Day parade. For our Paralympians, we decided to create a parade that will start at Jalan Tun Razak, just for them,” concluded Khairy.

The plane that will send our heroes home will also be given a water salute, a ritual where a vehicle travels under plumes of water expelled by one or more fire fighting vehicles. It is usually reserved to mark the retirement of a senior pilot, the first or last flight of an airline to an airport, or for other notable events.

If you happen to be in the area, or is free on Thursday, why not go say hi to our heroes? :)

Sources: The Star Online, New Straits Times.


#ZoukClubKL: Mystery DJ/Producer Project twoloud To Shake Things Up On 18th September

Founded in 2013, twoloud is active in the music genres of Progressive House and Bigroom.

Slightly on the mysterious side, the identities of the people behind the twoloud project weren’t revealed until much later.

For a long time, the members of twoloud remained unrecognised. Often masked at their live events, twoloud consists of a German DJ duo Manuel Reuter (also known as Manian), Alexander Thomas (Alex Castle) along with Dennis Nicholls (aka D-Style).

You may remember the names Manuel Reuter and Dennis Nicholls to be part of Spencer & Hill, although they denied it initially:

Funnily, their anonymity even roused suspicions that twoloud was a joint project between Hardwell and Tiësto. But the names on the credits of their tracks changed twoloud as we all knew it, whatever little we knew, that is.

In October 2013, they released their first single “Big Bang”, which fused big room house with trance elements. It was their “grand entry” into the electronic dance music scene. After great success with tracks on music platforms like Beatport and Spotify, twoloud signed a contract with the successful Dutch record label Spinnin’ Records.

Our personal favourite twoloud track is, of course, 2013’s “Big Bang”. Listen to it below:

So, wanna go see them live at Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur?

For more information, visit Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur’s website or Facebook page.

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Future Music Festival Asia 2014 Hits New York

Future Music Festival Asia has made its way to the concrete jungle!

Making headlines everywhere, The FMFA 2014 advertisement is seen at Times Square in New York City. A guaranteed experience of a lifetime, FMFA 2014 features a fantastic lineup, which by the way, isn’t completed yet.

Wu-Tang Clan, Deadmau5, Knife Party, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are amongst some of the names that will be making their way to Malaysia next March. Stay tuned to Hype.My for the second lineup and pre-party deets!

Note: The first released of tickets are sold out and the second release is available now. Get yours before they run out!

Tickets are available online at Redtix and at Rock Corner outlets, Victoria Music outlets, Penang outlets, KL Life Centre, Tune Store as well as AirAsia Travel Service Centre.

For more information, visit Future Music Festival Asia on Facebook.

[Breaking] FMFA Malaysia 2014  Lineup Revealed


#MissionImpossible5: Release Date Moves Up To July 2015

The first official teaser trailer for the upcoming “Star Wars” film debuted 2 months ago but the force must’ve been way too strong for the 5th installment of “Mission: Impossible”.

Formerly scheduled for release on Christmas (25th Dec) this year, Paramount Pictures announced that “Mission: Impossible 5” will arrive 5 months earlier than planned. It is set to be released on 31st July 2015 instead.

Directed by “Jack Reacher” director Christopher McQuarrie, the American action spy film is written by Drew Pearce and Will Staples. Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise will return to reprise his role as IMF Agent Ethan Hunt. He co-produced the film alongside “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams and David Ellison of Skydance Productions.

As the film shares the same genre as “Spectre“, Paramount Pictures made a smart move by moving up the release date for the latest installment of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise to avoid the competition with the James Bond film. It is also to avoid competition with Abrams’ “Star Wars” film, which is slated for release on 17th Dec 2015.

Although the movie has already entered production since last year, no plot details about “Mission: Impossible 5” were revealed to the public yet.

Jeremy Renner (of Marvel’s”The Avengers” fame), Ving Rhames (of “Pulp Fiction” fame), and Simon Pegg (of “Star Trek” fame) are set to reprise their respective roles in the film. Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”) and Rebecca Ferguson (“Hercules”) have also officially joined the cast of the film alongside “The Theory of Everything” star Simon McBurney, who is said to be portraying the boss of Ferguson’s character.

Deadline reported that Sean Harris is eyed for a villainous role in the film while Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu has joined the film’s cast for a secret role that may serve as a major plot twist.

“Mission: Impossible 5” will now open against Antoine Fuqua’s boxing drama “Southpaw”, the Ericson Core-helmed big screen remake of “Point Break”, and Tarsem Singh’s science fiction thriller “Selfless”. Originally slated for release on 29th May 2015, Paramount Animation’s “Monster Trucks” will take MI5’s previous release date.


The Real Story Behind “The Terminal” Man Who Lived At The Airport For Almost Two Decades

If you’ve seen Steven Spielberg’s “The Terminal”, starring Tom Hanks, you must’ve known that it is based on a true story about a man being stuck at an airport for almost two decades.

The movie is based on the life of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, currently 73, who was forced to stay at the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for 18 years.

It all started in 1973 when Mehran was part of an activist group who opposed against King Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, while studying at the University of Bradford, England. Reza implemented monarchial laws during his rulership in Iran, which goes against the teachings of Islam and it’s the reason behind Mehran and his group’s protest.

Iran’s government at that time felt that the protest defiled the monarchy for the king’s institution, causing them to issue a warrant in 1977, which sees Mehran being sent to prison once he returns from England for the offense of holding a protest abroad.

In 1981, Iran’s government decided to exile him from the country and gave him an official banishment letter for the reason of conspiring against its government. Mehran, who needed a place to stay in exile, chose to seek asylum in England under the advice of the United Nations.

Before entirely moving to England, Mehran was struck with bad luck when he decided to take a detour by staying in France. Badly enough, he lost the official letter which is required for him to enter the country’s border. Without the letter, he was forced to stay at the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport as he was not allowed to leave the international ground (airport space).

At first, it was hard for the runaway as he couldn’t speak French at all, and deep down, he was hoping someone could get him out of the limbo. He eventually accepted the fact that he might be stuck for the rest of his life and decided to work as a janitor at the airport to get a source of income.

Over the time, the airport workers believed that Mehran had found peace with his situation and had stopped his pursuit to leave. It was reported that he frequented the McDonalds there and spent his free time by reading books or observing other people who were going about their day at the airport.

As years went by, it all changed for Mehran when a French Human Rights lawyer, Christian Bourguet, attempted to help the airport resident find a way out of his situation. It took the lawyer almost 10 years to convince the authorities to present an official letter, which would permit Mehran to stay in France.

However, Mehran’s time at the airport for almost two decades messed up his mental state and he convinced himself that the letter was fake and decided that he was going to spend the rest of his life there. Eventually in 2016, the airport’s administration managed to kick him out of the airport before he was sent to a mental institution to be treated.

Mehran is currently living a normal life in England using the royalty money (USD$300,000) he received from Steven Spielberg, which was given as a token of appreciation for the copyright on his personal story.

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#MTVEMA: 2014 Nominees Revealed + Voting Kicks Off

MTV revealed the nominees for the 2014 MTV EMA, the world’s annual music awards show that celebrates the year’s hottest artistes from around the globe, which will see some of the biggest names in music battle it out.

The queens of hip hop Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea will show down in two categories: Best Hip Hop and Best Look. Katy Perry leads the race with nominations in 7 categories, while Ariana Grande follows closely with nods in 6 categories. Pharrell Williams and 5 Seconds of Summer are each up for 5 awards. One Direction, Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea, Eminem, Sam Smith, and Kiesza all received 4 MTV EMA nominations each.

Also, rivalry continues between “frenemies” Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, as they go head-to-head for Best Female and Best Look.

Interestingly, Aussie exports, 5 Seconds of Summer, are up against British heroes One Direction in the “Best Pop” category. Their tribes will face-off Twitter-style in the Biggest Fans category as their respective fan groups have been given the power to vote for their favourite artists for Biggest Fans via Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #EMABiggestFans along with the artistes’ names.

Get More:
2014 VMA, Artists.MTV, Beyoncé, MTV VMA Video Vanguard (Medley), Music, More Music Videos

Ready to root for your favourite artiste(s)? Voting is now open here!

The 2014 MTV EMA will broadcast live from The Hydro in Glasgow on Sunday, 9th November at 9pm CET* (Monday, 10th November at 4am Singapore time).


#LegolandMY: Fire Breaks Out, Detroys Miniland’s Kuala Lumpur Landmarks

Oh no, a fire broke out at Legoland Malaysia‘s Miniland last night :(

According to a TRP report, the fire broke out at about 8:30pm yesterday (16th July, Thursday), destryong a replica of Kuala Lumpur’s famous landmarks. A Johor Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson said a team from the Pulai fire station was immediately despatched to the location after receiving a distress call at 8:40pm.

The spokesperson said there were no casualties in the incident and firemen managed to control the blaze within 20 minutes. “The department is still investigating the cause of the incident,” the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, in a separate report by The Star Online, Legoland Malaysia was closed at that time as it was after their operation hours. Legoland Malaysia Resort’s PR manager D. Deviga confirmed confirmed that there were no injuries and that only the Kuala Lumpur Miniland cluster was affected; the rest of Miniland is in perfect condition.

“The fire was extinguished quickly by trained members of staff and no guests were in the area or at the Park when it happened. The cause of the fire is currently being investigated by both the Park management and relevant authorities,” she said.

She also stressed that the necessary precautionary and safety measures were being taken to ensure the safety of the visitors and staff members, and that the area has been cordoned off temporarily.

Legoland Malaysia is operating as normal today.

Sources: TRP, The Star Online, TNP / Featured image from YouTube.


“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”: Pre-Teaser Trailer Released

The “teaserception” is back as Warner Bros has finally provided the first look at “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”!

It was previously reported that the official railer will be released in October, as confirmed by the director himself on his Facebook page. However, the studio decided to give us a glimpse of what we can expect from the film through a pre-teaser trailer!

Not that we are complaining, but the video only lasted 15 seconds. Yes, you read that right. It’s a 15-second long video that was packed with a few awesome and terrifying scenes from the film.

Oh, didn’t we mention that there is going to be a battle of the five armies in the film as well?

Luckily, you can also get your first glimpse at the battle here:

Set to be released on 12th December this year, the film will wrap up “The Hobbit” trilogy while an extended cut of “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” will be released before the film.

No further information about the film has been announced yet but we’ve already compiled some of the things that you should know about “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”!

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Marié Digby Returns To Asia!

In 2007, she made big news when she did an amazing cover of Rihanna’s “Umbrella”. It shot her to YouTube stardom almost immediately! To date, her YouTube channel has 100 million views and over 270 thousand subscribers.

Four albums later, the beautiful Marié Christina Digby proves that she has enough vocal versatility to excel in a wide variety of genres ranging from pop to folk. Her YouTube videos of her singing and playing her guitar are often so serene that it has the ability to make a person’s worries melt away – or run in the meadows.

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

In October this year, multi-talented American singer-songwriter Marié Digby is making her way from a tiny little YouTube window to the grand stage of Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore as part of her “Your Love” Asian Tour. Expect to hear large dosages of Marié’s sweet originals and maybe some amazing covers of your favourite pop songs.

Venue: Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore

There will be an autograph session at the Esplanade Foyer from 10:45 pm to 11:45 pm. Concert attendees may bring a copy of her CD for signing. There will also be a merchandise booth where you can purchase her latest CD.

To purchase tickets, hit up SISTIC’s website,


Green Day To Bring Their “Hella Mega Tour” To 6 Countries In Asia

American rock band Green Day is making their return to Asia – after a decade of absence – as part of their “Hella Mega Tour” next year.

The band was responsible for hits such as “American Idiot”, “21 Guns” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends”. They made the announcement for their tour as part of their big reveal for their upcoming 13th album “Father Of All MotherF**kers”.

The trio formed the band in 1986, with singer-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool, where they rose from the underground punk scene to become one of the most successful American Rock Band for the past 2 decades.

The tour will start on 8th March 2020 and will end in 27th March the same year . Unfortunately the band won’t be making their appearance in Malaysia, however they will be performing in our neighbouring country Singapore as the first stop of their concert.

The rest of the band’s tour will include Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan.

Public ticket sales for the tour in Singapore will start next week on Thursday, 10th October. You can book your tickets a day earlier if you’re a subscriber to Lushington Entertainments Singapore’s newsletter, which is the organiser for the event.

So no matter if you’re a fan of the band or simply a fan of rock music, this will be a tour you’ll never forget. More details of the tickets and dates can be found here.


#BukitMerah: Orang Utan Island Now Reopened To Public

The Malaysian orang utan sanctuary otherwise known as the Orang Utan Island in Bukit Merah has now reopened to visitors.

The Orang Utan Island Foundation chief executive officer Dr D.Sabapathy told The Star that its lake cruiser could now ferry visitors across the 3km stretch of water from the jetty at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort.

The island, which is home to 22 orang utans, had to close since 11th April when the water level at Bukit Merah Lake became too shallow for the cruiser because of the dry season. “With the increase of the water level, the boat service that was previously stopped will resume operation as normal,” said Dr D.Sabapathy.

In conjunction with the grand reopening of the Orang Utan Island, local visitors will get to enjoy special discounts for a month (until 12th June). “During the promotional period, tickets are priced at RM25 per adult compared with the normal price of RM30, and RM15 per child compared with RM18,” he said.

Perhaps you and your family might want to grab this opportunity to see the orang utans in their natural habitat and participate in their interesting programmes available during this upcoming school holidays? :)

For more information, check out The Orang Utan Island’s official website here.

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Ed Sheeran Is Making His Way To Kuala Lumpur

OMG! Everyone’s favourite redhead is coming to Malaysia!

(Featured image via Ed Sheeran on Facebook)

Yes, you read that right! Award-winning British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran who is heading to Singapore next year, will also be stopping by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! Sheeran who first hit worldwide fame with his popular hit single “The A Team” is slated to perform at the KL Convention Centre on March 16th.

The 23 year old English singer who has two albums to his name Plus and X is already a household name in the international music scene. Known for his singles “Give Me Love,” “Kiss Me,” “I See Fire,” the soundtrack to The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug, “Thinking Out Loud” and “Sing”, a track that features Pharrell Williams in the music video, Sheeran’s concert in Kuala Lumpur next year marks for his first ever show here.

Tickets to the concert in Kuala Lumpur goes on sale from November 8th (Saturday) and are priced at RM295 (Free standing). For more information, hit up PR Worldwide or call 03-7483 3022.


Disney’s Obi-Wan Kenobi Series: Ranking Every Episode In Season 1; Possibility Of Season 2

This week marks the final episode of the first season of the series “Obi-Wan Kenobi”, and it’s certainly been an interesting trip down memory lane. Especially for those who grew up watching George Lucas’ prequel trilogy. Over the years we’ve seen shows like “Star Wars: Rebels” and “The Bad Batch” fill in the gaps between “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” and “Episode IV: The New Hope”.

And while we’ve grown to love new heroes like Ahsoka Tano, Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger and Clone Force 99, we couldn’t help but wish to see more of what the old guard were up to. After waiting for over a decade and a half, we finally get to see our beloved Obi-Wan Kenobi in live-action again with his journey from honored Jedi Master to the grizzled, old Ben Kenobi.

This new series has delivered some stunning nostalgic highs with some standout episodes, along with some frustrating lows in others. Needless to say, it’s not quite the happy landing we were hoping for. With that in mind, we’re here to rank each episode of the first season of “Obi-Wan Kenobi” from worst to best and to discuss the fate of the series.

One of the most contentious elements of the series was the way they handle Princess Leia as a child. Some people love it…us not so much. Nearly half the episode is spent seeing her either being an utter, inconsiderate brat to Kenobi or running away from him!

Also, the Third Sister, Reva, supposedly “killing” the Grand Inquisitor in this episode feels utterly tedious. We all know he’s going to come back because he’s in “Star Wars: Rebels”! So all the tension of seeing Reva slowly rise to the rank of Grand Inquisitor feels so pointless. The only highlight here is Ewan McGregor’s phenomenal performance as a distraught Kenobi realising that his former apprentice is actually the Empire’s most deadly enforcer, Darth Vader. The sheer shock and fear in his face is brilliant. Seriously, just skip to the last 5 minutes of “Part II” and call it a day.

There’s nothing particularly terrible about this episode but also nothing much to rave about. It’s understandable seeing that this episode is mostly meant to set up the key players in the other episodes to come. Leia’s introduction as a headstrong, erudite child by Vivien Lyra Blair walks a rather thin line being endearing and grating. One that throughly flats into the territory of the latter in “Part II”.

One thing we did enjoy seeing was the live-action depictions of the Inquisitors, namely how they operate among civilians. If Disney decided to make an entire series revolving around them, we’d be totally down for it! One minor gripe we have is the way the Grand Inquisitor, who is a Pau’an, looks nothing like his “Rebels” version or the other Pau’ans seen in “Revenge of the Sith”. We’ll forgive them for this because of that killer Order 66 scene at the beginning.

As fans of “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order”, we got a major kick out of seeing Fortress Inquistorius! The famed headquarters of the Empire’s very own Jedi hunters. This episode’s a fairly straight-forward one with Obi-Wan sneaking into the fort trying to rescue Leia from the clutches of the Third Sister. A fun caper for sure but not without a number of discrepancies that broke our immersion. The most glaring being Reva’s ability to block entire blaster bolts from a ship. That’s karking nonsense right there! Still the episode manages to make up for it with some intriguing details. Seeing that haunting museum of encased Jedi corpses is such a great visual reminder of how horrifying the world of Star Wars can be.

Now we’re getting to the good stuff! In this episode, we get to see a more vulnerable side of Kenobi and Leia in a father-daughter relationship. In spite of the Organa’s love for her, there’s still a part of the young princess who sees herself as an orphan looking for her parents. Someone who’s hoping to better understand her place in the universe by understanding her lineage. Kenobi sees this internal turmoil and is himself struggling to reveal the truth to her, worried it might cause more damage. It’s a heart-wrenching scene that McGregor and Blair did wonderful justice too! The absolute highlight of the episode though is Vader hunting Kenobi down. The Dark Lord of the Sith lives up to his title with stunning brutality and effortless cruelty. Him dragging Kenobi across a field of fire is a brilliant bit of poetic justice right there.

“Part V” is not a perfect episode but it does give us some of the best moments in the history of live-action Star Wars. The way the episode juxtaposes a young Anakin Skywalker, played by a not-so-young Hayden Christensen, training with Obi Wan in the past with Vader’s hunt for Kenobi in the present is an inspired choice. It serves to exemplify how shades of Darth Vader were always in Anakin during his Jedi days and how his immaturity as a Padawan still informs his decisions in the series.

It humanises Vader in a way that feels earned and believable. He’s not yet the perfect cold, calculative killing machine we see in the original trilogy. He is still the learner as he states in “New Hope”. That being said, he is in no way lacking raw power. Watching him pull down a ship with the Force and effortlessly defeat the Third Sister without ever using his own lightsabre had us running around the room like younglings trying to escape Vader in the temple. What? Too soon?

Ding, ding Round 2! No distractions. No Inquisitors. No allies. It’s not just a spectacular duel though. There’s so much history and emotion behind every strike on the sabre. The same hate that fuelled Vader in the fiery planes of Mustafar are rekindled as we see Kenobi muster all his strength and willpower to strike down his beloved brother in the Force. The challenge here is trying to inject meaningful stakes in spite of the fact that we already know the outcome of the battle: both of them survive.

The true climax of the show isn’t Kenobi standing over Vader in triumphant victory. No, rather it comes from the catharsis of Kenobi finally learning to let go of his guilt and shame with Vader essentially absolving his master of the battle on Mustafar. There is nothing to forgive because Kenobi didn’t kill Anakin, Vader did. The smile we see through Vader’s damaged helmet is the stuff of nightmares and yet also a confirmation of Kenobi’s role in the wider conflict. It is not his destiny to bring Vader back to the Light, that belongs to another. Overall, this season finale provides satisfying closure to the duo.

Well, the answer to this question is complicated. Actors Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen have definitely expressed interesting in doing a second season. In an interview with British GQ, McGregor has said “I really hope we do another” and Christensen in an interview with Radio Times said “I think there’s certainly more there to explore and I would be so excited to get to do so“. In a interview with Entertainment Today (ET) though, director Deborah Chow was less than certain about the future of the series stating “Well, frankly, we did set out to do that as a limited series. But I think if there’s huge engagement and people really want more Obi-Wan, we’ll certainly give that consideration because the fans, they speak to us.” Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy expressed similar sentiments as well.

With Kenobi and Vader’s reunion arc mostly wrapped up, is there any direction the series can possibly go into from here? The series takes place nine years before the events of “A New Hope”. During his time in exile, Kenobi rarely leaves the desert planet of Tatooine, and is always keeping watch over young Luke. The most exciting thing that happened to him was his final duel with Maul as see in “Star Wars: Rebels” two years before “A New Hope”. Beyond that, it’s all quiet for Ben. If Chow wishes to avoid breaking “Rebels” canon, it leaves her with only 7 years to play around with Kenobi’s past. So to answer the question: no, not really. That being said, if enough fans respond well to the series, Kenendy and Chow could see our dear Jedi tackle the wretched hive of scum and villainy of the planet. Perhaps, he and Reva could join up to battle the Inquisitors.

So what do you think “Obi-Wan Kenobi”? Do you think the series should get a second season? Be sure to let us know in the comments and to catch it on Disney+ Hotstar today!

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Disney VS Warner Bros: Stellar Cast For Rival Reboots of Kipling’s #TheJungleBook

Uh oh. It’s going to be a tough decision for cinephiles to make because both Disney and Warner Bros will be rebooting the Kipling’s classic animal adventure novel, “The Jungle Book”!

Earlier in 2012, Steve Kloves (known for writing most of the “Harry Potter” movies) was hired by Warner Bros again to write and direct a live-action film adaptation of “The Jungle Book”. At that time, the studio hasn’t confirmed the cast members and there weren’t much updates about the film. Now that Disney is rebooting the film as well, Warner Bros has stepped up to announce the cast members of the film and its release date.

In case you didn’t know, Shere Khan is a wicked man-eating tiger who views the young Mowgli as his lifelong enemy in “The Jungle Book”. The famous incarnation of Shere Khan is voiced by George Sanders in Disney’s animated 1967 musical version of “The Jungle Book”.

It was recently reported that the Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch has been cast to voice the villainous tiger Shere Khan in Warner Bros’ film adaptation of “The Jungle Book”. However, Walt Disney Pictures is currently developing a live-action/CGI adaptation of the book as well, with Idris Elba cast as Shere Khan.

A tad confusing? Here, let us break it down for you:

Clearly, it is a stiff competition between both studio as both films feature a slew of impressive cast.

On top of that, both films are helmed by well-known writers and directors as well. Jon Favreau has previously directed Marvel’s “Iron Man” franchises while Andy Serkis, who is known for his role as “Gollum” in the “The Hobbit” trilogy, will be making his directorial debut with this film. The filming for Disney’s version of “The Jungle Book” kicked off on 5th August.

Truth be told, we love the stellar cast here and we just can’t wait to watch both of the films! Which version of “The Jungle Book” would you prefer? Let us know in the comment box below!


7 First Date Outfit Ideas For Dudes (Who Want A Second Date)

There’s nothing like the dopamine rush of scoring a first date with your crush. But now that you’ve done the easy part (yes, that was the easy part), now it’s time to turn your charm on and give a good first impression. While putting your best self forward is the key to a successful date, physical appearance matters A LOT when it comes to first impressions.

When you first meet someone, your brain tends to zero in on a few specific traits, like how they dress, their smile, and overall appearance. That’s when you can get a general idea of who they are as a person. So yes, finding a good first date outfit that showcases your personality that also gives you a sense of style is important. But, if you have zero idea where to start, we’ve rounded up several outfit options for different kinds of dates to help you get started.

A date that takes place in the evening usually means you’ll wanna put more effort into your look, but if you’re going out for a casual bar date, it’s best to keep things simple, but effortlessly stylish. For this, we recommend wearing a loose fit button up shirt with some loose pants with are relaxed fit. Pair it with some loafers and nice socks and you’re done. You can also accessorise with some rings and some layered necklaces. Just make sure you smell extra nice! (Read this for some perfume recommendations for men that aren’t BASIC.)

If you and your date are both caffeine junkies, then a coffee date would definitely make a great first date. And if you’re going to one of those authentically pleasing and Instagrammable cafes, you’ll need to dress the part! For this, we’re thinking out of the box, but still keeping things neutral. Open vests are a great option as they give more depth to the outfit without being too ‘flashy’. Layer it over a plain t-shirt with some tapered pants and some nice sneakers (NOT running shoes) and your outfit is complete.

You know that moment when the girl gets cold in the cinema, so you lend her your jacket or sweater that you just so happen to be carrying around? Yep, this is the outfit for that. Since you’re going to the cinema, you’ll probably wanna wear something that’s comfy and casual. Wear a sweater over a t-shirt so when you get the chance to lend your date a sweater, you can just take off the outer layer of your fit. As for pants, you can either go for some laid back sweatpants or some cargos. Try to match your choice of sneaker with your top half, so your outfit still looks somehow coordinated.

Amusement parks are fun, so make sure your outfit goes with your environment! Since you’re probably gonna be under the sun, your outfit should be light and breezy. We would opt for tank tops, since you can layer them with some button up shirts (plus no pit stains!). For the outer shirt, definitely go for something with colour and matches with your shoe. Say you have a pair of Green Nike Dunks, then you’ll wanna wear clothing with some elements of green or earth tones. As for the pants, while you can definitely go for some breezy loose pants, you can also just go for a classic pair of jeans (except for skinny jeans).

While you worry about what to bring to a picnic, we got just the right outfit for your romantic day out. We don’t usually encourage shorts on the first date, but this one’s an exception. For this, we would go for hollow lace button ups worn over a tank top, with a pair of cotton shorts paired with a cap. The ideal fit for hot Malaysian weather, it’s time to impress your date with your impeccable style! You can even accessorise with a colourful bead necklace to bring some colour into your look.

Time to bring your artsy side out! The easiest way to look sophisticated and artsy is by wearing light coloured pants, even better if they come in interesting textures, prints, or intricate details. You can either opt for a colourful outer layer with a plain tee, or you can go full-on Steve Jobs and wear a black mock turtleneck top. Either way, you and your date will be looking like a couple of sophisticated people admiring some sophisticated art.

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