5 Reasons You Hate Star Wars: The Last Jedi And Why You’re Absolutely Wrong

The teaser trailer for “Solo: A Star Wars Story” just dropped a few hours ago and I figured this would be the perfect opportunity excuse for me to write another “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” related article. This would be the last one, I swear. May you be struck by lightning if this turns out to be a lie.

It’s been many months, and people are still tweeting at Rian Johnson about the various so-called ‘plot holes’ and how he’s a disgrace to the Star Wars fandom. It would be perfectly fine if these criticisms are valid and or subjective. It’s not wrong to say you dislike the entirety of Canto Bight because it’s boring and bogs the movie down. I would disagree with your opinion, but I would understand where you’re coming from. If you say you loathe the comedy in the film, once again, I would understand where you’re coming from.

But if you say shit like, Luke wouldn’t have abandoned the world to drink titty milk on an island, then boy are you so wrong. Let’s discuss.

Here are 5 reasons why you hate Star Wars: The Last Jedi and why you’re absolutely wrong.

It’s blasphemous! Unheard of! It’s not the Jedi way!

Really? Did everybody suddenly forget everything that happened in the original trilogy? When we first meet Obi-Wan Kenobi, he’s living in a cave. Sure, I guess an argument could be made that he didn’t abandon the world, but rather, was just watching over young Luke Skywalker from a distance. We’ve come to learn that from Star Wars Rebels.

But what about Yoda, who’s widely regarded as one of the best Jedi Masters ever? Where is Yoda when we’re first introduced to him? Battling alongside Leia against Vader and the Emperor? No, that doesn’t sound right. Was he building an army, plotting to take down the Galactic Empire? Hmm, that doesn’t sound accurate either.

That’s right, I remember now. The lil green mofo was hiding on an island. And judging by his mannerisms, he was probably shoving cocaine up his bumhole 24/7. Through the prequels, we learn that Yoda ran into hiding after losing a duel to Palpatine.

So, why is it so unbelievable that Luke ran away, too? Luke Skywalker sensed darkness in his own nephew whom he trained. What would people think of the GREAT Luke Skywalker? In that moment, he lost control and decided to kill Kylo Ren. It was just a fleeting moment. We all know what happened next.

Luke didn’t give up and run away just because. This is a man, defeated, broken, and possibly suffering from depression, ostracizing himself. If you think it’s logical for Yoda to run away after a duel with Palpatine, then Luke running away is just as logical, perhaps even more so.

It’s important for people to take a step back and know the difference between what’s ‘cool’ and what’s ‘good storytelling.’ Walking into “The Last Jedi”, I wanted to see Luke kick ass too. I dreamt of him wielding his green laser sword, going apeshit on Kylo Ren and possibly even Snoke. It would have been glorious. Alas, none of that happened.

But thinking about it, what actually transpired is even better, from a character and storytelling perspective. The Jedi religion has always been about peace and taking a nonviolent approach unless necessary. One of Yoda’s key teachings to Luke on Dagobah is, “A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack.”

People criticize Rian Johnson for ruining Luke Skywalker by turning him into a lousy Jedi. But what could be MORE Jedi than giving hope to the resistance, and saving the people you care about, not just without a single hint of violence but heck, without even showing to the fight?

About a week ago, Rian Johnson proved all the haters wrong with a string of tweets:

The man is clearly someone who lives and breathes Star Wars. So stop being dipshits and calling him a non-fan on Twitter.

But let’s assume that the whole concept of force projection or ‘doppleganger’ didn’t exist in the previously established Star Wars lore. Would that make Rian Johnson wrong for creating that in “The Last Jedi”?

Here’s a fun fact, the peeps at Lucasfilm can do whatever they God damn please and it becomes canon. And that isn’t wrong. As we get more and more sequels and spinoffs, don’t we want the lore to expand? Isn’t that the beauty and magic of the fantasy genre?

In the Harry Potter-verse, we only learn that Thestrals are pulling the carriages from Hogsmeade Station to Hogwarts in the 5th book/movie. Prior to that, we assumed that the carriages were moving by themselves. Does that mean that it’s wrong for J.K. Rowling to add to the lore and create Thestrals?

Even within the Star Wars universe, we’ve always learned new things as these stories went along. During the climactic battle between Luke, the Emperor, and Darth Vader, the Emperor shoots lightning out of his fingers. Out of nowhere! What the actual f**k? Prior to that moment, there was no mention of force users also possessing lightning powers. Does that mean that George Lucas isn’t a Star Wars fan, either?

C’mon guys! Get your heads out of your asses. Expanding the mythology is a good thing. It only becomes a problem if new things CONTRADICT the established canon. Like if a lightsaber is able to cut through a piece of wood in one movie but unable to, in another movie. Or,  if Yoda is green with a 9-inch penis in one movie but appears pink with a 4-inch penis in another.

Would I have liked to know more about Snoke? Sure. Is it necessary to include Snoke’s backstory in the movie? Not really.

Again, I can’t help but wonder if the people who are complaining about this, also complain(ed) about the Emperor. In the original trilogy, we didn’t know jack shit about the Emperor except the fact that he’s an evil old ruler who desperately needs a bottle of baby lotion for Christmas. We only discovered who the Emperor is in the prequels.

Both the Emperor and Snoke don’t need backstories because they’re more of ‘SYMBOLS’ of pure evil than fully realised characters. The primary villain in the original trilogy is Vader and in this new trilogy, it’s Kylo Ren. The question is: Would they destroy the symbol of pure darkness for the purpose of good, or would they destroy it for selfish desires? Darth Vader killed the Emperor to save his son. His grandson Kylo, killed Snoke to take his place. Isn’t that sweet poetry?

One of the more interesting subplots of “The Last Jedi” is Poe’s transformation from egoistic hotshot flyboy to level-headed leader. In the second act of the movie, Vice Admiral Holdo takes over leadership from the hospitalized General Leia. Poe immediately approaches Holdo and demands to know all her plans. Holdo doesn’t divulge anything and Poe devises a strategy with Finn and the new character, Rose, to infiltrate Snoke’s ship and deactivate their tracking device. This brings us to one of the more shocking moments of the film.

Finn and Rose get caught by the First Order officers and Poe’s balls shrivel up. And then, the now conscious Leia shoots Poe with a stun blaster. DJ, who was helping Finn and Rose to infiltrate Snoke’s ship, betrays them and sells information to the First Order. This leads to many of the Resistance members dying as they were escaping to the mineral planet, Crait.

Many argue that had Holdo just disclosed her plans to Poe from the get-go, none of this would have happened. Fair enough. The question is, why on earth would she disclose her plans to a demoted pilot? It simply does not make sense from a military perspective.

Besides, upon realizing what the plans are, Poe immediately discloses the plans to his buddy Finn, who we must do well to remember, only defected from the First Order not too long ago, and Rose a girl he JUST met. From a personal perspective, we may side with Poe and say, “Of course he should tell Finn! It’s FINN! The dude that took on Kylo Ren.” But within the Star Wars universe, Finn is just a small cog on a giant wheel.

Hey you! Yes you, hot stuff. Like my article? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Also, don’t forget to share it with your buds.

And if you’d like to talk to me (or send me hate messages), you can follow me on Twitter here: @dedpewlsays

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#ParkShinHye: “Doctors” Actress To Visit Malaysia In October!

Did you enjoy “The Heirs”, “Pinocchio”, and “Doctors”? If you did, we have news for you ;)

Park Shin Hye, the main female character of the aforementioned television shows, will be visiting Malaysia soon! She’ll be visiting as the ambassador for Mamonde, which just opened their first beauty counter in Malaysia on 30th July (Saturday).

While details are still scarce about her arrival, we know that she’ll drop by our country this coming October. It is also expected for her to meet her Malaysian fans at 1 Utama, which is where the first Mamonde branch is located.

Mamonde, a Korean skincare and cosmetics brand, was first launched in 1991. With their slogan “Inspired By Flowers”, the company is popular for its flower-infused range of products, as they often use camellia, lotus, and jasmine as ingredients.

The brand begun its overseas domination in 2005, when it launched in China. Subsequently, branches in Thailand and Malaysia were opened. Super Junior’s Siwon and SNSD Girls’ Generation’s Kwon Yuri were past ambassadors for the company, but Park Shin Hye took over their positions in 2014.

Watch her shoutout to Malaysian fans here:

For more info, visit Mamonde Malaysia’s official website and Facebook page.


(UPDATE) #UTKaws: UNIQLO Announces Collab With KAWS For UT Collection

Fans of KAWS, you have our permission to flip out. UNIQLO just announced a collaboration line for UT (UNIQLO T-shirts) with KAWS!

Since its launch in 2003, UT has featured an array of pop culture graphics in such collaborations as SPRZ NY and the Shochiku Kabuki series. The new KAWS collection celebrates UT’s fusion of fashion with authentic pop culture.

KAWS is a renowned artist who cuts his creative teeth on the streets of New York, his subversive images winning him considerable notoriety. Within the pop art tradition, he has created a prolific body of influential work, which both engages young people with contemporary art and straddles the worlds of art and design to include street art, graphic and product design, paintings, murals and large-scale sculptures.

Considered as one of the most relevant artists of his generation, he developed his visual vocabulary conceiving his soft skull with crossbones and crossed-out eyes, which would become a signature gesture.

Today, some of the world’s most renowned museums and galleries collect and exhibit his critically acclaimed artwork.

Commenting on the new collaboration, KAWS said, “I have always enjoyed working in different medium, whether it be plastic toys, painting, bronze sculpture, or graphic design. UT is a cool canvas for making my artwork available to people virtually everywhere. I have enjoyed working with the UNIQLO team whose enthusiasm is unparalleled. It is great to be part of the amazing UT platform of my friend and fellow artist NIGO.”

UT Creative Director NIGO (of “Teriyaki Boyz” and A Bathing Ape fame) said, “KAWS has been a friend of mine for more than 20 years, and I’m very happy to collaborate with him for our 2016 UT items. I’m certain that the collection will be a hit around the world.”

“I’ve created things with KAWS quite a few times before, and we’ve got a lot of respect for each other. This project was no exception. We went through a ton of ideas to come up with some great results. I think the T-shirts and other items in the collection reflect KAWS’ amazing worldview,” he added.

UT KAWS comprises of 20 items in 25 patterns, including T-shirts, tote bags, and room shoes. Check out the Uniqlo and KAWS collaboration below:

UT KAWS will be sold at all Uniqlo stores in Japan and online on 25th April 2016. The collection will be available in Malaysia on 9th May 2016.

For more information, visit Uniqlo’s website.

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Bhad Bhabie, The “Cash Me Ousside” Girl From “Dr. Phil” Is Coming To KL

Bhad Bhabie (pronounced as Bad Baby) whose real name is Danielle Bregoli, is a 16-year-old American rapper and internet personality, most known for her infamous “Cash me ousside, how bout dat?” phrase on an episode of “Dr. Phil”.

The red-headed rapper will be making her way to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next week, to shoot her special feature in the new season for “YO! MTV Raps,” MTV Asia’s popular hip hop show premiering in April.

Bhad Bhabie is the youngest female rapper ever to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her debut single “These Heaux” and follow-up song “Hi Bich/Whachu Know”.

She continued her streak in 2018 with “Gucci Flip Flops” which arrived as her third straight Billboard Hot 100 smash, went gold, and boasted a blockbuster music video.

Bhad Bhabie will be performing at Kyo KL, Mandarin Oriental on Saturday, 9th March 2019, She will be accompanied by local DJs, DJ Biggie and DJ Aku Ash.

Debut almost 30 years ago on 1988,  “YO! MTV Raps” is inspired by the original, legendary hip-hop franchise of the same name, and celebrates the explosion of hip-hop across Asia with a fresh format that features music, culture and lifestyle.

A post shared by Warner Music MY International (@warnermusicmalaysia)

Tickets for “YO! MTV Raps” presents Bhad Bhabie live in Kuala Lumpur will be announced soon.


Angelina Jolie-wannabe Sahar Tabar Lied About Her Plastic Surgeries

Sahar Tabar recently made headlines when she claimed that she underwent approximately 50 surgeries in an attempt to look like famous Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie. The photos were so shocking that it went viral worldwide.

Yesterday (Thursday, 7th December), the Iranian teenager finally came clean – it was a hoax all this while. The 19-year-old had many media outlets fooled by her fake claims and insisted that the clues were there all along.

Netizens online felt that this Angelina Jolie superfan had went overboard with her drastic weight loss. She also claimed that she loss 40kg for the extreme look, which earned her nicknames such as “corpse bride” and “zombie”, with some even commenting that she could appear as an extra on “The Walking Dead”.

Turns out, Sahar’s extreme results were achieved through the clever use of makeup and photoshop. In speaking with Russian news outlet Sputnik, the young teen explained that she only did that to “amuse” herself. “It is Photoshop and makeup. Every time I publish a photo I make my face more fun. It is my way of self-expression, a kind of art. My followers know that this is not my real face,” she told the publication.

Having said that, Sahar has done some liposuction, rhinoplasty, and botox for lips. Maybe she should consider pursuing career in the cosmetic industry. What do y’all think?


Is The Zombie Apocalypse Really Happening?

To begin with, one former North Miami Beach football player was no angel. Having worked a series of odd jobs around Miami over the past ten years, he was known as a petty criminal. In the span of a decade, he has chalked up a dozen or so arrests, usually for minor drug offenses.

But we reckon his drug addiction got a little bit too serious when he was arrested in 2008 after threatening to kill his mother. And even then, he was difficult to subdue because the Miami police had to Taser him three times before placing him under arrest.

That should’ve set off warning bells loud and clear. But no.

Until the fateful day, on the 26th of May, when Rudy Eugene was finally shot dead. Cause? Well, for lack of better description, for being a zombie.

31-year-old Rudy spent the morning driving around Miami Beach aimlessly before his car broke down. After that, he abandoned the vehicle and decided to walk. For some odd reason, maybe the weather, he began to strip off his clothes, scattering them along Miami’s MacArthur Causeway. Soon after, he spotted 65-year-old Ronald Poppo, a homeless man who was innocently taking a nap in the shade.

What transpired next is really beyond us, or anyone else, but it seems that Rudy somehow decided that it was a good day to dine on human flesh. He pounced on Ronald, punching him and stripping the man’s pants before gnawing off the homeless man’s face. And mind you, this is in broad daylight and in full view of all the cars and cyclists on the busy causeway.

For 18 grisly minutes, Rudy bit and chewed away ruthlessly, while shocked passersby called the police to report what they saw. Miami police officer Jose Rivera then arrived at the scene and used a loudspeaker to call for Rudy to stop.

Jose knew he had to fire. And who wouldn’t you, if a man with pieces of flesh in his mouth growled at you? Jose fired at Rudy at least four times before Rudy dropped. The attack ceased, and Rudy was dead.

The gory incident has been put under heavy investigation and some have speculated that Rudy was under the influence of drugs – the kind that sometimes cause violent episodes. No drugs, however, were found on the scene.

Miami authorities now depend on the results from toxicology tests of Rudy’s blood for the answer to this gruesome zombie apocalypse:

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

Meanwhile, Ronald Poppo is resting in a Miami hospital, in critical condition but expected to survive.

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6 Non-Malaysians Who Sing Fluently In Bahasa Melayu

Malay language is not exactly a language that is often spoken by people outside of Malaysia, even some Malaysians don’t speak the national language very well.

So when certain foreigners took the extra efforts to learn the language, they not only gain popularity in the country but also plenty of new fans from Malaysia as well as other Malay-speaking countries like Indonesia, Brunei, and Singapore.

Lately, there have been several foreigners who started to break into the Malaysian music market by covering and releasing songs in Malay language.

Check out these 6 non-Malaysians who can sing  fluently in Malay language.

Osaka-born Takaaki Terry went viral on Malaysian social media when he covered Faizal Tahir’s hit song “Assalamualaikum Dunia”. His performance not only gotten the attention of many Malaysians, but also the hit maker himself who flew all the way to Osaka, Japan to track the Japanese man. Takaaki ended up getting signed under Faizal Tahir’s record label, Faithful Music and has already released his very first Malay single, “Konnichiwa Dunia”.

Australian YouTuber Cassidy Anderson or better known by her stage name Cassidy La Crème officially moved to Malaysia in 2017 to focus on her entertainment career in the country. Cassidy gained fame in Malaysia after singing a cover version of “Ombak Rindu”. Since then, she has been covering more and more famous local hits. She signed under Raksasa Records and has released her very own Malay single “Seperti Dia” in 2017.

17-year-old Thai-British singer Chaleeda Gilbert has decided to spread her wings in Malaysia by signing with Malaysian recording company Rocketfuel Entertainment. The local music label discovered the young talent via her YouTube channel where she performed various cover songs. She has already released several singles under the label, but most recently, she released her first Malay track “Bestfriend” featuring local rapper Lil J.

British social media influencer Mark O’Dea first came to Malaysia in 2013 as a member of a Malaysia-based boy band called “The London Boys”. But when the group disbanded, Mark joined the “8TV Quickie” variety show and became one of the regular presenters.  ON his YouTube channel, Mark is known for hosting videos of him getting up to mischief organising funny pranks on the public including suddenly singing Malay songs. One of his very first Malay covers was “Sedetik Lebih” by Anuar Zain.

Swedish-Lebanese religious singer Maher Zain found international fame when he released his debut album “Thank You Allah” in 2009. His music gathered a huge online following in Arabic-speaking and Islamic countries including Malaysia. He was the most Googled celebrity in Malaysia. Since Malaysia has been one of the countries where he has had the most commercial success, the singer has released a few of his famous hits in Malay language, the songs include “For The Rest Of My Life”, “InsyaAllah”, “Peace Be Upon You” and more.

Short for Global Tour Idol, G.T.I is a 3-member Korean boy band consisting of members Dong Gyun, Aoora and Sibong. The band is known for covering Indonesian songs but once in a while, they will also take on Malaysian songs and give it their own spin. Some of the Malaysian songs they sang include Sufian Suhaimi’s “Di Mata Mu”, Estranged’s “Hancur”, Faizal Tahir’s “Sayang”, and Projector Band’s “Sudah Ku Tahu”.


Contest: Snag Some Exclusive #Tomorrowland (The Movie) Goodies!

You’ve seen the movie, now make a grab for some official merchandise! Thanks to our friends from Disney Malaysia, we’ve got ’em “Tomorrowland” goodies to giveaway to some of our lucky readers ;)

To win the goodies, all you gotta do is tell us:

E-mail your answers with your details (Name, IC, Contact number) to submit@hype.my. Each winner walks away with one piece of “Tomorrowland” merchandise.

“Tomorrowland” has been released in Malaysian cinemas nationwide!

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


#Tearjerker: Top Tissue-Soaking Movies That Were Made In The 2000s & 2010s

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from watching Disney Pixar’s 2015 hit movie “Inside Out”, it’s that where there’s joy, there’s also sadness.

We cannot seem to get enough of melancholic movies that make us bawl our eyes out. Don’t worry, we’re not depressed, but rather, we believe that a good drama hits you right where it hurts.

Besides tearjerker classics such as “Steel Magnolias” (1989), “My Girl” (1991), and “Titanic” (1997), the 2000s and the 2010s boast scores of terrific cry-worthy films.

Although there’s no list that could ever contain the amount of movies that can make you “ugly cry”, we’ve compiled a list of films that are powerful enough to choke you up:

1. A Walk To Remember (2002) / The Notebook (2004)

Based on Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling novels, “A Walk To Remember” stars Mandy Moore as Jamie Sullivan, the minister’s religious daughter, and Shane West as Landon Carter, a popular boy at school while “The Notebook” stars Rachel McAdams as Allie Hamilton, a girl from a rich family, and Ryan Gosling as Noah Calhoun, a poor yet passionate young man.

Though both films are similar to each other (read: both lead boy and girl have different backgrounds), their sub-themes are what set them apart. For instance, the former explores religious topics whereas the latter touches on World War II.

Get ready to cry more than a litre of tears with possibly the saddest Japanese movie ever made, “A Litre Of Tears”. The film stars singer-actress Erika Sawajiri, who won “Best New Comer Award” for her role as Aya at the 43rd Golden Arrow Award.

The story follows Aya Kito, a high school girl who was diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease called spinocerebellar degeneration. The film is a true story based on Aya’s memoir, detailing her life and struggles after she found out she was ill.

Believe it or not, you’ll bawl like a baby from start to finish, even if you watch it without subtitles.

Starring father and son duo Will and Jaden Smith, “The Pursuit Of Happyness” is another powerful based-on-a-true-story film that teaches you how to be grateful for the simplest things in life. Directed by Italian helmer Gabriele Muccino, the film features Will as Chris Gardner, a homeless salesman, and Jaden as Gardner’s son, Christopher Jr. The film sees Gardner losing his wife, desperately trying to feed his small son, landing an unpaid internship, and being homeless.

Tears will inevitably flow when you see Gardner rushing to his son’s daycare to tell him that he got a full-time position in his firm.

A dog is a man’s bestfriend. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would’ve probably heard of the famous tearjerking story of Hachiko, an Akita dog that was dubbed as “the world’s most loyal dog”.

College Professor Parker (played by Richard Gere) finds an adorable Akita puppy at the train station. He names the dog Hachi, which means number 8 in Japanese. Though Hachi is not as intelligent as other dogs, he is fiercely loyal. He waits for Parker every day when he gets off the train so that they can walk home together; he waits for Parker for hours in the snow when he doesn’t return one day (Parker suddenly died of a brain aneurysm at work); he waits for Parker for 10 years at the same place every day, till he dies.

If that doesn’t make you cry, we don’t know what will.

5. The Boy In The Stripped Pyjamas (2008)

What do you get when you combine a child’s mortality and the Jewish Holocaust in a film?

Starring Asa Butterfield and Jack Scanlon, “The Boy In The Stripped Pajamas” sees young Bruno’s family relocating near a concentration camp when his father, a Schutzstaffel officer, is given a “promotion”. The adventurous Bruno sneaks off and befriends a prisoner his age near the edge of the camp, where they play checkers through the barbed wire. Although the 2 boys become great friends, Bruno learns some hard truths about what his father does for a living, and why his new friend wears what he mistakenly assumes are pyjamas.

If we were to pick one animation to be the saddest cartoon in the 2000s, it would be Disney Pixar’s “Up”.

At first, we thought that we were going to watch a cartoon about an old man who travels around the world in a balloon house with a young boy. But Pixar got the better of us. We should’ve known that their films are more than just good graphic work. Arguably the saddest opening in Disney film history, the first 10 minutes of “Up” shows the love of Carl and Ellie from when they were friends as kids, to Carl leaving Ellie’s funeral with a blue balloon in his hand.

Admit it, Carl and Ellie were your #RelationshipGoals back then too.

“How do you trust your feelings when they can just disappear like that?”

There’s no shortage of toxic relationships in Hollywood, but none is as devastating and genuine as the one seen in Ryan Gosling (yes, it’s another Gosling movie) and Michelle Williams’ critically-acclaimed indie film, “Blue Valentine”. Helmed by director Derek Cianfrance, the story explores the relationship between Dean Pereira, a high school dropout and Cindy Heller, a pre-med student. We won’t give away any spoilers, but let’s just say that “Blue Valentine” is one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride.

South Korean films are known to make you cry like a little girl, and Lee Hwan-Kyung’s tearful masterpiece “Miracle in Cell No. 7” is pure sentimental genius.

The films tells the story of little Ye Seung, played by Kal So Won, and her mentally impaired father Yong Goo, played by Ryoo Seung-Ryong, who is falsely accused of a murder and sent to prison. In prison, Yong Goo befriends 5 other inmates and after an unlikely incident, they decide to smuggle Ye Seung into Cell No. 7.

To be honest, we got so attached to the lovable father and daughter duo that we cried a lot when the 2 were forced to separate. Oh, we’re crying as we write this :(

Known for being the highest grossing Malaysian film in 2014, “The Journey” is a must-watch for all Malaysians!

Director Chiu Keng Guan’s film explores the idea of culture, traditions, and family that is set against beautiful landscapes across the country. Starring Frankie Lee, Australian stage actor Ben Pfeiffer, and winner of Miss Astro Chinese International Pageant 2007 Joanne Yew, “The Journey” is a heartfelt story that will make you wanna hug your parents.

The list wouldn’t be complete without this year’s hit novel-turned-film, “Me Before You”, right?

Based on Jojo Moyes’ best-selling book, the film tells the love story of Emilia Clarke’s Louisa “Lou” Clark, a small-town woman struggling to find a job, and Sam Claflin’s Will Traynor, a quadriplegic. Though things between the 2 started off rocky, their dislike for one another eventually blossomed into sweet romance. But there’s one problem – Traynor is determined to go for euthanasia (a sort of mercy killing). Who would’ve thought that a film by Finnick Odair (“The Hunger Games”) and Daenerys Targaryen (“Game Of Thrones”) could given us so much feels?

Were there any tear-inducing movies that we’ve left out? Do you have a personal favourite that is not in the list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below :)

Sources: Complex, Hachi’s Wikipedia, Asianwiki, Refinery 29, The Journey’s Wikipedia, Blue Valentine’s Wikipedia, The Borneo Post.

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SK-II Ambassador Lee Yeon-Hee Is Coming To Malaysia

Just few weeks ago, OSIM (M) Sdn Bhd brought Lee Min-Ho to Malaysia for a private fan meeting as he is the ambassador for their latest lifestyle product, OSIM uDiva.

But now, we hear that South Korean actress Lee Yeon-Hee will also make her way to Malaysia as she is set to make an exclusive appearance at SK-II’s private event this Friday!

Lee Yeon-Hee rose to fame through her feature debut as Eun-whan in 2006’s Korean rom-com “A Millionaire’s First Love”. She is an actress under SM Entertainment and was once in the first line-up of Girls’ Generation during the creation process of the group. She is known as the “music video girl” as she often appeared in her labelmates’ music videos including Zhang Liyin’s 2006 “Timeless” MV, S.M. The Ballad’s “Miss You” MV, and so on.

Because of her pure and innocent image, Lee Yeon-Hee was chosen to become one of SK-II’s ambassador and she will be coming to Malaysia after attending the SK-II event in Singapore today. One lucky SK-II consumer will even have the opportunity to meet her and even have a lovely dinner with her on October 17, 2014. The winner has already been chosen as the lucky draw ended last week on October 10th.

For those who didn’t manage to join the lucky draw or win the ticket, you may catch a glimpse of her at the airport this Friday as the flight details have been revealed.

For more information, visit SK-II Malaysia’s official website and Facebook page.


Nickelback To Perform In Singapore For The First Time In February 2019

February 2019 is going to be a very busy month for Nickelback. Not only is the American rock band touring Japan and Australia, but they are also stopping by Singapore.

Yep, you heard that right concert-goers. The announcement was made on the group’s social media page just moments ago. No word yet, if Nickelback is considering Malaysia at the moment.

A post shared by Nickelback (@nickelback)

Consist of Chad Kroeger (lead vocals, guitars), Ryan Peake (guitars, backing vocals), Mike Kroeger (bass), and Daniel Adair (drums, backing vocals), Nickelback was first formed in Alberta, Canada in 1995. With over 2 decades in the music business, the rock quartet has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.

Their latest “Feed The Machine” tour is in support of their 9th studio album of the same name. So expect to hear songs from the record including the title track, “Song on Fire”, and more classic favourites. This will be their first trip to Singapore so get ready to welcome them Nickelback fans!

Brought to you by LAMC Productions, the details to Nickleback’s “Feed The Machine” tour Live in Singapore are as follows:


Horse Meat Found In Ikea Meatballs

Whoops! The horse meat in beef products crisis that has come over Europe reached an all-time high as another big retail victim fell into its grasp. Horse meat has been detected in a wide array of products, from lasagnas to burger meat sold to Burger King’s UK operations, and in a meat pasta sauce sold by Wal-Mart’s UK supermarkets chain, Asda.

Now, food inspectors in the Czech Republic have discovered horse meat DNA in 2.2-pound packs of frozen meatballs labeled as beef and pork and sold under the name Köttbullar.

Yes, the popular IKEA Swedish meatballs.

IKEA confirmed that they have since pulled frozen meatballs from the same batch that were sent to its stores in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, France, the UK, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, and Belgium. The product was also removed from Ikea stores in Sweden.

We are now initiating further tests on the same production batch in which the Czech Republic authorities found indications of horse meat. We do not tolerate any other ingredients than the ones stipulated in our recipes or specifications, secured through set standards, certifications and product analysis by accredited laboratories.

They also stressed that they made the decision even though its own tests two weeks ago had not detected horse DNA.

Results of these further tests were expected in the coming days.

Although the Singapore branch of IKEA are fully aware that the meatballs at its cafeterias contain only beef and pork sourced and produced from Australia, on top of a “halal” line at IKEA Tampines where meatballs containing a mixture of chicken from Brazil and beef from Australia are sold, they aren’t taking any chances.

As precautionary measures, IKEA Singapore has stopped selling meatballs for the time being until results from DNA testing are out. The test results, which are expected to be ready by the middle of next week, will confirm that there are no indications of horse meat in the meatballs.

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#Contest: Win Passes To H-Artistry Kuala Lumpur

15.11.2014 − Mark your calendars people.

H-Artistry returns to Kuala Lumpur and we’ve got passes for you. Riding off the success of H-Artistry Penang earlier in May 2014, the finale party in Kuala Lumpur is guaranteed to give revellers a night to remember. Promising an elevated experience revolving around the brand’s signature epic super-clubbing experience, the highly anticipated finale party features a fantastic lineup including acts like Tinie Tempah, MKTO, Cream, Paperplane Pursuit and Imma *Bleep* YouUp. Slated to take place at the Malaysia International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) in Mines Resort City, the party at H-Artistry KL starts at 7.00pm.

Apart from being part of an epic super-clubbing experience, revellers at the finale H-Artistry party in Kuala Lumpur will be the first to witness the live renditions of “Chasing Dreams” and “Live Forever”, singles from Malaysia’s very own Paperplane Pursuit and Imma *Bleep* YouUp. Inspired by H-Artistry’s very own unique Global Art of Mixing platform, these singles have connected these two artists from different genres and styles.

Now, with thanks to our friends from H-Artistry, Hype.my is giving out five zone-P invites to the finale party in Kuala Lumpur. get yourself an invite to this by invitation only party by doing the following:

Email your answers to the questions above, along with your personal details (Full name, IC number, phone number) to submit@hype.my by 6pm on November 10th, 2014 (Monday). Winners will be notified via email by 12pm on November 11th (Tuesday).

Venue: Malaysia International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) in Mines Resort City

Please note that H-Artistry is open to non-Muslims aged 18 and above only.


(UPDATE) #KLTU: Sultan Iskandar Highway (Jln Mahameru) Closed After Road Sinks

Kuala Lumpur city slickers, were you caught in mad rush hour jam yesterday evening as well as this morning?

Chances are, this (the crazy traffic jam) is going to keep happening for a while, unless if you take an alternative route. Why? Well:

According to The Star Online, part of the Sultan Iskandar Highway (formerly Jalan Mahameru) has been closed after a portion of the road sank, causing major traffic congestion in the city.

The depression was first detected on Tuesday (2nd June) and caused the closure of the highway’s left lane, just after the Jalan Damansara-Jalan Parliament turn-off. Since then the depression has got worse, forcing traffic to be diverted to Jalan Parliament.

Star Radio Traffic tweeted that the jam stretched all the way to Jalan Tun Razak:

1426 #kltu Sultan Iskandar Hway, after Parliament -Jln Damansara, is obstructing all lanes, Expect delays from PWTC off Jln Tun Razak

— Star Radio Traffic (@mytraffic) June 3, 2015

City traffic police chief Asst Comm Mohd Nadzri Hussain said repair works are being done.

“We urge everyone to avoid using this road for the time being and use alternative routes,” he said in a statement Wednesday (3rd June). He said road users can use Jalan Kuching, Jalan Kinabalu, Jalan Damansara, Jalan Parliament, and Jalan Tun Razak (South) as alternative routes out of the city

In today’s report by The Star Online, Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib said it would take a week for the south-bound lane of the highway to be reopened. During a site visit yesterday (3rd June), Ahmad Phesal said contractors would backfill the affected areas with granular material to strengthen the structure.

“The settlement was caused by incessant downpour. Rainwater seeped into the soil of the undercut tunnelling construction, causing the sheet pile to slant, resulting in the road to crack. It will take three days for the contractors to strengthen the soil,” he added.

He also said that the contractors and project consultants had been asked to re-look at their construction methods and measures to ensure there were no long-term impact to the area.

The highway (after the Jalan Damansara-Jalan Parlimen turn-off) was closed on Tuesday (2nd June) evening following cracks and soil settlement on the stretch of road, which is a tunnel construction site. The new 2-lane tunnel will be built alongside the existing Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim tunnel, which has reached its maximum capacity during peak hours. Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim and Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar will be widened to accommodate the new tunnel.

The RM40.67mil tunnel project is part of a traffic mitigation plan by Kuala Lumpur City Hall and is expected to be completed by March 2016.

Source: The Star Online (1), The Star Online (2) / Featured image from The Star Online.

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#Singapore: Measly Looking Fish & Chips Goes Viral; Gordon Ramsay Comments

When you pay $17.50 (around RM55) for a plate of Fish and Chips, you would expect them to taste and look good.

However, a patron who ordered the dish at a high-end restaurant was solely disappointed. What was supposed to be a hearty meal of Fish and Chips turned out to be 8 pieces of ikan bilis (anchovies) and french fries.

The customer, who goes by the name of Jaze on Facebook, related his tale on the social media platform. He explained that when the dish in the picture was presented, he assumed that it was an appetiser. Although Jaze was sorely disappointed when it turned out to be the Fish and Chips he ordered, he decided to make fun of the situation instead.

“I almost died from laughing with internal-organs-explosion. It’s like buying a Car and instead they give you the Toy Car for the same price,” exclaimed Jaze, whose post has amassed around 6k shares and 5k likes as of press time.

Honestly, if we were Jaze, we wouldn’t know whether to laugh or be exasperated.

It was also tweeted to foul-mouth chef Gordon Ramsay, who saw the tweet and retweeted it with his own message. He wrote, “That’s 8 chips & 8 anchovies @ $1 each please…. the lemon is bigger than the fish!”

So folks, beware of what you order and remember to read the description before deciding! You don’t wanna end up with another measly meal, do you? ;)


Evphoria: Find Your Harmony With Andrew Rayel & More Explosive Acts

Evphoria is a live musical event series aiming to feature the most in demand EDM DJs to tour around the region. The underlying concept behind Evphoria has been attributed by the popularity of EDM genre in this region. The selection of the featured shows are often accompanied by electrifying performances, raw live energy and over-the-top production value.

Evphoria aims to elevate your musical journey with feel-good moments by inviting the hottest performing artists. With show production skewing towards festival environment, this brand new and unique live musical platform will leave you reeling for more.

Evphoria is a concept established by Evphoria Entertainment, a newly formed event agency with the vision to host EDM shows across Asia and it has started to gain a strong reputation in event promotions.

With collaboration with Deck Time Stories (a.k.a. DTS Digital Marketing), Evphoria is hoping to deliver the first ever indoor festival featuring a most in demand EDM centric festival brand “Find Your Harmony” by a famous Trance legend DJ Andrew Rayel.

Are you ready to find your harmony? Joining Andrew Rayel is a line-up full of explosive and energetic acts such as Ruben de Ronde (NL), Chukiess & Whackboi, and BATE. Details to Andrew Rayel: Find Your Harmony as follow:


There Is A Doraemon Pop-Up Store In This KL Mall This Month

Can you believe that it’s been 50 years since Doraemon was created by Fujiko Fujio (manga duo Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko)?

In the span of 5 decades, the iconic blue robot cat has become a cultural phenomenon worldwide. As someone pointed out, the franchise can appeal to different markets – “You’ve got the kid market of generating new narratives, new interests and you’ve got the adult nostalgia market.”

In celebration of this occasion, the Doraemon franchise has set up a pop-up store right in the heart of the city on Ground Central (G-16B) at Berjaya Times Square Kuala Lumpur. It debuted earlier this week and will remain here till 21st Sept 2020.

It’s pure Doraemon haven with plenty of awesome collectibles up for grabs. Items include toys, stationery, apparel, mugs, bottles, notebooks and more. Psst, there’re even yellow Doraemon toys for sale!

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Contest: Win “Lyle Lyle Crocodile” Merchandise & Movie Tickets

What would you do if you stumble upon a singing crocodile who can sing like pop singing sensation Shawn Mendes? Well, you become BFFs of course!

In the live-action / CGI musical comedy “Lyle Lyle Crocodile” – which is on the best-selling book series by Bernard Waber – Shawn Mendes’ character Lyle communicates through song, rather than talking. If you’re familiar with the books, you’d know that Lyle has a gift of song and is discovered by Hector P. Valenti.

In speaking to CinemaBlend, director Will Speck explains the reasoning behind Lyle. “It was a conscious choice on our part… Hector leaves him with a digital player that has music on it [early in the film]. So that’s our justification for how he taught himself these songs. But I think for us it was really important that we had a character where the other characters could infer a lot from him. I think Lyle is a great listener and I think a lot of people just need that kind of space and partner in order to make changes, as opposed to being led completely. So I think for us it’s something that we thought was a really unique way [to tell a story],” he said.

“When the Primm family (Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy, Winslow Fegley) moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. All of that changes when he discovers Lyle – a singing crocodile (Shawn Mendes) who loves baths, caviar and great music-living in the attic of his new home. The two become fast friends, but when Lyle’s existence is threatened by evil neighbor Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman), the Primm’s must band together with Lyle’s charismatic owner, Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem), to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places and there’s nothing wrong with a big singing crocodile with an even bigger personality.”

In conjunction with the premiere of “Lyle Lyle Crocodile” on 1st December, we’ve got some awesome movie merchandise and 20 pairs of movie tickets to give away. (*Do note that the merchandise will be given out randomly and are subject to availability.)

Details of the tentative screening as per below:


#Feast: Disney’s New Short Will Be The Cutest Thing You’ve Seen All Day

Disney has released a tantalising glimpse of its new animated short film, “Feast”!

It’s going to be a boffo breakthrough for animated canine newcomer Winston. He’s an adorable Boston Terrier who could bring back puppy love to the theatre. Winston will have you at his first sniff of a French fry.

A scene from the animated short motion picture, “Feast”, a new short from first-time director Patrick Osborne (head of animation for ”Paperman“) and Walt Disney Animation Studios, is the story of one mans love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share.

The short utilises a quick-cutting, mockumentary style and a look comprised of warm colours, flat shapes, and shallow depth of field. It will be the film appetiser in theatres before “Big Hero 6”, opening 7th November.

For more information on “Big Hero 6”, click!


#HarukiMurakami: Author Wants To Help You Solve Your Problems, Seriously

Famed Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami is about to become the internet’s agony uncle. Yesterday, Murakami’s publisher announced that the reclusive writer will launch a website where fans can ask for advice and pose questions “of any kind”. The site will be called “Murakami-san no tokoro” or “Mr. Murakami’s place,” though his publisher, Shinchosha, has not announced a URL or email address for it.

“After so long, I want to exchange emails with readers,” Murakami said in a statement published by Shinchosha.

The 65-year-old author of books like “Norwegian Wood” (which was turned into a movie in 2010, starring Kiko Mizuhara) and “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” will also answer questions about his personal tastes, including his affection for cats and his favourite Japanese baseball team. Questions can be submitted in multiple languages and will be accepted through the end of January. Murakami will publish his responses over the following two months.

Murakami’s books have been translated into 12 languages and he enjoys an ardent following of fans, known as “Harukists”, though he has long shied from the limelight.

In 2013, he appeared in public in Japan for the first time in 18 years to promote his latest novel, “Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and the Year of His Pilgrimage”, and took the opportunity to explain his disdain for fame.

He told the small audience (tickets were limited to 500, which were only made available through a lottery) present at the event:

When I woke up this morning I almost thought of taking a bullet train home. It’s not because I have a mental condition or purple spots all over my body. I’m just an ordinary person who lives an ordinary life.

So, if you could ask Haruki Murakami for advice on the advice column website, what would you most likely ask him?

Sources: The Verge, Shinchosha, Telegraph.

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Li Shang Axed From “Mulan” Remake Because Of #MeToo?

As we get closer to the theatrical release of “Mulan”, there is a lot of curiosity on how the live-action remake will measure up to the Disney animated classic. Especially when Captain Li Shang is visibly missing from the storyline.

Will his absence tip the scale? Or maybe it won’t even matter. The jury is still out on that.

In speaking to Collider, producer Jason Reed shed some light on the decision to remove Li Shang in the new film. “I think particularly in the time of the #MeToo movement, having a commanding officer that is also the sexual love interest was very uncomfortable and we didn’t think it was appropriate,” he explained.

Having said that, Li Shang will still be in the movie in some capacity – well sort of. “We split Li Shang into 2 characters. One became Commander Tung (Donnie Yen) who serves as her surrogate father and mentor in the course of the movie. The other is Hong Hui (Yoson An) who is (Mulan’s) equal in the squad,” Reed added.

Keeping in mind that Li Shang already had a reputation as a bisexual hero, Yoson was asked candidly if he was ready to become an LGBTQ icon, to which he answered, “Yes I am“, adding that the script pays respect to Li Shang’s perceived LGBTQ identity, albeit subtly.

Reed also assured that Mulan and Hong Hui’s relationship would “play the same as it does in the animated (film)“. “They start off on the wrong foot, really. As they progress through the training together, they kind of have this unspoken bond about it because they recognise each other’s warrior spirit. That’s how they kind of build their friendship up to begin with, through the training and acknowledging each other,” the New Zealand actor added.

Earlier today (Friday, 28th February), Entertainment Weekly reported that Christina Aguilera had recorded a new take on the classic power ballad “Reflection” along with other new material for the remake.

Hopefully we’ll get to hear the new tunes soon ;)


#MRT: Road Closures Along TTDI & Cheras Starting Today (15th July)

Heads up to those living in Petaling Jaya and Cheras, you might be experiencing some inconvenience over the next few weeks.

Certain stretches along Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) and Jalan Cheras will be closed to help facilitate construction work for the respective MRT stations. The road closures will take effect from today (15th July) onwards.

The closure at TTDI will be carrying on for 2 and a half months, starting from today until 30th September, from 11pm to 6am daily. The junction of Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad and Jalan Damansara (near Pizza Hut) to the Indah Water Konsortium will be affected, but there will be 5 lanes available for drivers headed from Kuala Lumpur to the SPRINT Highway.

In the meantime, those coming from Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad and Jalan Leong Yew Koh (using the TTDI interchange underpass towards SS2) will have access to the SPRINT Highway using the LDP, at the Damansara Utama Interchange near the Police Station.

Motorists from Kepong will have to proceed through the flyover and turn left at the Damansara Utama interchange to get on the SPRINT Highway, while those coming from SS2 headed to Jalan Damansara (KL/SPRINT-bound) will be required to make a U-turn at the Bandar Utama interchange, then take the flyover at the TTDI interchange towards SS2 before connecting to SPRINT at the Damansara Utama interchange.

During that time, Bernama reports that a contraflow will also be implemented from the Pizza Hut to Entrance B of the TTDI MRT station. Those from LDP and TTDI driving towards the SPRINT Highway will be diverted to the opposite lane.

Aside from the aforementioned, these following junctions in PJ will also be affected:

Elsewhere, the closure at Jalan Cheras near Taman Midah will begin today till 15th August, between 11 pm and 5 am. During this period, traffic from KL headed towards Kajang will be diverted to the internal road at the Petronas Station near the Cheras Christian Cemetery and led back to Jalan Cheras through an exit near McDonald’s.

For a better understanding of the traffic diversions and alternative routes, visit MRT Malaysia’s Facebook page.

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#Peru: A 23-Year-Old Leaves Tapes After Committing Suicide; Suspected Of Imitating #13ReasonsWhy

A man has left behind several tapes after his suicide, raising speculations that this might be the first “13 Reasons Why” copycat suicide.

The man has been identified as 23-year-old Peruvian Franco Alonso Lazo Medrana, who worked as an industrial engineer. He allegedly jumped from the 4th floor of his apartment building after yelling, “I can’t stand a heartbreak,” while his mother looked on.

Although he survived the fall, Medrano was proclaimed dead at the San Juan de Dios hospital, where he was admitted to.

The news was first reported by news outlet Diario Clarín, who also said that police found 2 sets of suicide notes during investigations. One was addressed to someone named Claudia and another included a set of instructions. The former was a goodbye note wishing the receiver the best while the latter had names of people who allegedly caused his death.

Similar to “13 Reasons Why” fashion, those names were also selected to received tapes which Medrano previously recorded on his computer.

While there is no concrete proof that the deceased imitated the book-turned-TV-series, the style was extremely similar to the plot. In the show, the main character Hannah Baker committed suicide and sent recorded tapes to people who pushed her to make that decision.

Early last month, amidst concerns that the show glamourised suicide, Netflix announced that they would be adding disclaimers and warnings before the show plays.

They explained in their statement, “There has been a tremendous amount of discussion about our series, ’13 Reasons Why’. While many of our members find the show to be a valuable driver for starting an important conversation with their families, we have also heard concern from those who feel the series should carry additional advisories. Moving forward, we will add an additional viewer warning card before the 1st episode as an extra precaution for those about to start the series.”

There has also been talks for a 2nd season of “13 Reasons Why”.

PSA: If you or someone you know is in need of emotional support, please contact Befrienders at 03-79568144/03-79568145 or sam@befrienders.org.my.


Elon Musk Has Officially Bought Twitter For RM191 Billion; Here’s Why

It’s been talked about for days or maybe even weeks that billionaire Elon Musk is joining Twitter as a board member. More recently, the entrepreneur made headlines when it was reported that he was planning to buy the rest of Twitter after he had already bought 9% of the company.

Elon reportedly offered $43 billion (RM187 billion) to fully buy Twitter but the company declined the offer at first. But now it seems to be official that the Tesla and Space X CEO had bought the social media website for $44 billion (RM191.5 billion).

The SpaceX founder believes that free speech is a societal requirement for a functioning democracy and he believes that Twitter has that potential to be the platform for free speech around the world.

“However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form,” he said. According to Elon, Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company to make his vision come true.

According to NewYorker, the billionaire’s intention to buy Twitter is less about making profit and more about preserving Twitter’s capacity for chaos as a tool for himself and others to continue influencing their audiences without interference.

Prior to the recent deal, Elon has questioned Twitter if the social media site actually adhered to free-speech principles, and he has complained about Twitter’s algorithmic feed, and its lack of an Edit button.

While nothing is set in stone just yet, here are some ways that Elon Musk could or will change how Twitter operates:

Elon once (jokingly) tweeted a poll earlier this month asking his followers if Twitter should have an edit button to which most answered yes. But this has already been confirmed by Twitter themselves a bit later that they are currently working on an Edit Button. The feature could benefit Elon as he had been in trouble over a tweet.

Unlike other platforms, Twitter has a limit of 280 characters. If you have a lot to say then you’d have to make a Thread by replying to your own tweet(s). The Tesla CEO once replied to a long twitter thread saying that Twitter is long overdue for long form tweets.

Elon expressed concerns about bias being inherent to Twitter’s algorithm and even tweeted a poll to ask for his followers’ opinion.

I've now been asked multiple times for my take on Elon's offer for Twitter.

So fine, this is what I think about that. I will assume the takeover succeeds, and he takes Twitter private. (I have little knowledge/insight into how actual takeover battles work or play out)

Not everyone is happy with the idea of Elon Musk buying Twitter. Former-Reddit CEO, Yishan Wong posted a thread sharing his insights and said that Elon is “in for a world of pain”. Twitter users are also torn with some supporting Elon Musk purchasing Twitter while others are showing concerns about the future for the social media site.

Sources: GSMArena, NewYorker, Twitter, Axios, BusinessInsider.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do (ATB Remix)

It’s difficult to say what’s more remarkable: his outstanding 15 years as one of the forefront leaders of a musical genre or the nine artiste albums he has to his name. German trance legend, ATB has surpassed any expectations set when he started his career as a DJ/producer years ago, and he continually pushes his musical ventures way past their limits every time he steps into the studio.

In preparation for the release of his forthcoming tenth studio album, André Tanneberger has added his decades of experience to remixing the Ellie Goulding‘s latest single, “Love Me Like You Do.” ATB utilises nebulous synth bursts and melodic motifs to take Goulding’s sensational and enchanting vocals into a progressive-trance sound that exudes a fresh change of pace for the pop-songtress.

Listen to the ATB’s remix of “Love Me Like You Do” below:


Interview: Singaporean KHAi On His EP “Strange[r]” & Malaysian Collabs

Singapore based alternative-folk singer KHAi recently released his conceptual 6-track EP titled “Strange[r]”. His new music reflects his own take on love – that it inevitably ends one
way or another.

“I stand by the belief that we all need to learn how to embrace the pain that comes with a failed romantic relationship. This EP serves as a personal memo of tunes embodying the anxieties and excitements of falling in and out of love,” KHAi was quoted as saying.

In speaking to the singer-songwriter, he talks about his music journey thus far, the kind of artists he listens to, and which Malaysian singers are on his radar. Check out the interview below:

1. Tell us more about yourself as a singer-songwriter.

Hello! My name is Khairul Ridzwan, and I perform under the moniker “KHAi”. I’ve been dabbling around in the English music scene in Singapore since 2014 playing my originals through busking in the streets of Singapore before I made the decision to release them as an EP.

2. What made you decide to become a musician?

I get asked this a lot but each time, I somehow learn a little more about myself when I think about it. I think making music to me is a necessity more than a means of showmanship or popularity. To put it simply, I can’t live without making music. It’s what I think about every second of the day. I’ve done non-music related jobs prior to being a musician and I was never truly satisfied. I’m a strong believer in living your best life. Hence, I guess making music full-time is that for me. I think my aim in life would be to make sure that I’d be on my deathbed knowing that I’ve truly lived my life.

3. Tell us more about the music influences you have.

I have always been a fan of Frank Ocean’s approach to writing and producing his songs. The imagery he paints with his lyrics and sonic choices in the production is so vivid. There is so much depth in his music that I found myself studying it on my own free time. I also listen to a lot of Bruno Major, Bon Iver and Rex Orange County. All of these artists have a huge part to play in me finding my sound as an artist. I would usually listen to all of their songs and pick out the things I like in each song and try to understand why that particular sound fits in the context of that song. Understanding this at a deeper lever has helped me greatly with my own sonic choices as an artist.

4. You released your EP “Strange[r]” recently, tell us more about what the EP is about? We want to know your thought process on birthing out “Strange[r]”!

“Strange[r]” really was a journey for me. The process of producing this EP has taught me so many things. It actually started off with me having 2 songs that I felt would work great in an EP together – “Strange” and “Stranger”. This was the skeleton I had of this EP. Everything in between came after I decided what the EP was about – my pessimistic belief that “love has to end at some point.”

5. KHAi, if you can pick 2 songs off “Strange[r]”, what would they be and why?

I think “Victoria”, lyrically, is one of the best songs I’ve ever written. It’s the most thought-out song in my entire EP, which was why I decided that that song deserves to shine with a music video.

“Stranger” would be my pick because of how raw and different it is compared to my other songs. I feel that this song serves as an alternate version of me as an artist. I think this song shows a lot of my vulnerability putting the art in the forefront before the production quality. It’s a really bold move on my part and it was daunting at first, but I’ve learned that what truly matters is the song itself.

6. What are your upcoming plans for the next year? Any thoughts on collaborating with other artists?

Malaysia has many musicians. I would love to write a song featuring Talitha. Her voice is so buttery smooth. I have a few songs that I think calls for a collaboration. I’ve also been listening to a few acts out of Malaysia too like Alextbh and Lost Spaces. So I’m really excited for the future. Hopefully I’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with some artists :)

As for upcoming plans, I haven’t exactly finalised certain things about yet, but I am considering working on a double EP as I already have some songs which are in the works. I have a good idea of what 2021 would look like for me, so you can expect a lot more music from me next year.

Feel free to check out KHAi on Spotify here.

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Spider-Man Has A Hard-On, Gets Taken Down

“Spider-Man, Spider-Man, gets a hard-on whenever he can”

Since last year, the Lotte Shopping Center in Busan, South Korea, has had a giant Spider-Man sculpture on display. While the sculpture is amazingly huge and impressive, it was recently discovered that it’s also very, very wrong.

You see, this friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man has a boner.

What’s worse is that the sculpture was erected (get it, get it?) over the mall’s playground and rest area.

Did we already say that it has been on display for over a year?

Which explains the numerous complaints that the Lotte Shopping Center has received for the offensive statue! Following which, the artist, Eunsuk Yoo, was told to either modify the statue or take it down altogether. Refusing to compromise on his “hard” work, he chose to take it down.

He later took it to his Facebook page to say:

I am the artist who made this piece. My reason for it was that I wanted apply the natural physical phenomenon to a superhero depict what’s natural in the morning without lies and superficial-ness in a comical way.

There have been some comments on various community sites and Facebook pages that this is lewd and a disgrace to the source material. Lotte Shopping Center has received many complaint calls this morning from a certain organization, and after their meeting, it was decided that I have to either modify or take the statue down. Instead of modifying my work, I’ve decided to take it down.

It was ok for about a year and now it has to be taken down due a sudden interest in the piece, which is sad. But I understand that a piece that could be potentially interpreted as lewd can be offensive at a place like shopping mall. It’s disappointing, but I’ll reach out to the public with a better work next time.

Our question is, how did it even get past being up there for an entire year?


#LEGO: Emmet Reveals “Secret Identity” In Parody Alternate Ending

No longer the regular construction worker, Emmet in “The LEGO Movie” has revealed his secret identity to Batman in an alternate ending for the film!

Created by YouTube stop-motion artists Brotherhood Workshop, the alternate ending begins with Emmet’s girlfriend, Wyldstyle arguing with her former boyfriend, Batman after he broke into her house. From charisma to abs to the bat mobile, Batman has everything that a girl wants but that was only until Emmet appears at Wyldstyle’s house with his new secret identity.

No prizes for guessing what his secret identity is, of course. It is none other than Star-Lord, the leader of the space-based superhero team “Guardians of the Galaxy“!

See, it makes sense because Emmet is voiced by Chris Pratt, the same actor who has played Star-Lord in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy“. In fact, he’s also known for his character as Andy in NBC’s comedy TV series, “Parks and Recreation”.

This explains why Emmet said he has “come a long way from the days when he hung out at the park for recreation.” as all the references are based on Pratt‘s roles in other films.

Although it’s just a parody alternate ending to the film, this video would definitely be a great end-credit scene!

This is not the first time Brotherhood Workshop has made an alternate ending for a motion picture. Previously, there a “The Hobbit” project whereby the story was animated with the LEGO Hobbit-themed minifigs and sets, and condensed into 72-second-long video.

Other LEGO-branded films that have been scheduled for release over the next 4 years include “LEGO Ninjago” on September 23, 2016. “LEGO Batman” will have its own solo film on May 26, 2017 while the sequel for “The LEGO Movie” is set to be released on 2018.

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Interview: Troye Sivan On The MET Gala Dress, His Gay Fantasy For “Angel Baby” & More

“Angel Baby” is the first of many songs that Troye Sivan intends to release in the next few months. He described the single as “surprise gushy juicy doting adoring power bottom gay ballad” that people need during these trying times.

Although a huge chunk of his previous songs were based on real-life experience, “Angel Baby” is “the ultimate fantasy of finding that person that just makes you want to live in that moment forever and make time slow down“.

The Australian singer-songwriter recently took some time off from his studio session to chat with the media from Southeast Asia. This 26-year-old pop up opened up about his artistic growth over the past few years, creating “Angel Baby”, that stunning MET Gala dress, Lil Nas X, and more.

Is there anything you miss from Southeast Asia?

I miss everything. My soul is deprived of playing live, eating incredible food and going to incredible places. Touring Southeast Asia was one of my last memories before the pandemic. It was great because I felt so alive, free and present at that time. Can’t wait to come back!

You’ve been releasing music for more than 7 years, what is the thing that you’ve felt really changed in terms of musicality compared to the first single, ‘Happy Little Pill’ that you’ve released up till now?

When I first started I would have to throw a million things at the wall to see where it sticks. Now, I feel like I know how to get from Point A to Point B. It’s a little bit easier and I know how to communicate. Other than that, it’s the same process but I feel more comfortable and confident doing it.

How would you describe your relationship between yourself and your music?

I would say it’s very intimate. The 2 are very closely interlinked. I’m at my happiest when I’m songwriting and there were some times when I felt like I needed some writing. “Could cry just thinking about you” was written at my lowest point of life and I was crying in my kitchen when I was writing it. It felt so much better after that.

How has Troye from the ‘Blue Neighbourhood’ era evolved into the person and artist that you are today and if you could give one piece of advice during your debut album, what would it be?

So much has changed but at the same time I would tell that person to try and relax a little bit. You’re doing better than you think you do. And since you know that you love your family and being at home, put that love into the music you make too because that’s the way of expressing yourself. I would also tell that person to have more faith in himself. It actually comes with time. Last time, I’d beat myself over a bad writing day but now, I’m more prepared and have started thinking it as a fun process.

‘Angel Baby’ has no doubt impressed your fans with its nostalgic 80s and 90s vibes. Can you share some of the personal stories and messages associated with this track?

For me, the song is a complete fantasy as its not a complete reality. It gives the idea of giving hope of finding somebody and on a rainy night day, the person shows up. The pining is there and the man showing up in a rainy night has yet to happen. So, the song allowed me to fantasise and remember how much I love love and how beautiful love is.

‘Angel Baby’ has a very retro feel to it especially the nostalgic drums and base lines. Was there a nostalgic song that came to your mind when writing this?

I grew up with my dad buying concert DVDs and I have a memory of Toto being one of the very first bands that I listened to. So, the influences of those songs are very thick in my music. I would say, Phil Collins in general is the reference.

How was the artistic process like on working with ‘Angel Baby’?

It was different because it was done in Australia. It was done from afar and I came back to L.A. late last year for a short period of time. That was when I wrote the verses and I didn’t want to touch the chorus because it was perfect before. We wrote the bridge that day too.

You mentioned that ‘Angel baby’ sounds like an updated 2021 version of ‘Blue Neighbourhood’, how do you feel your musicality and artistry evolved since your debut album? In what ways do you hear that in ’Angel Baby’?

I just feel more confident vocally and you could hear that in the music. It was a new side to my voice when I was singing. It was exciting.

Can we expect a similar vibe of a sound just like in ‘Angel Baby’ for your upcoming music?

I don’t know. I just started working on it. It’s at an infancy stage. Those elements in ‘Angel baby’ are definitely inspiring so, I’m sure that there will be similar elements to it.

Your VMAs performance marked a meaningful milestone as it was the first time in early two years that you got the chance to perform live again. What was it like on stage after such a long time?

I almost cried. I choked up and I had to take a second. It’s weird and I dreamt about doing this. It almost came true but it got snatched away. But when I finally got to do it, it felt really emotional.

Your stunning outfit at the MET Gala this year definitely astonished fans in such an inspiring way as it was a bolder version of you. What’s the message that you’d like to send to your fans through it?

It was weird because before I put on the dress I thought it was crazy. I didn’t want to do drag or play a character because I was in a dress. It felt like myself. Clothes, truly aren’t gendered.

You recently said in your Instagram Stories that you met Lil Nas at the MET Gala and you’ve mentioned about pushing the gayer gender in your arts. How important do you think this is for the LGBTQIA+ artists these days and for you yourself especially, with ‘Angel Baby’?

Well, I was kinda joking because the gayer gender doesn’t exist. We wanted to make sure the community is accepted and loved. You really can’t state how important Lil Nas is because he’s been so inspiring to me and he’s understanding that it’s okay to have some space. Before I knew I was queer, and I was happy that I have people who listened to my music were cool with it, I still had a feeling of hanging in the shadows for a while and he’d done the complete opposite of that and it’s really inspiring.

How do you strike a balance between what’s popular and your usual writing style?

I always listen to pop music and I think it will naturally infiltrate my brain in a positive way. I’m a fan of so many people and I’ve always listened to what’s cool right now but I try to make a conscious effort to make things exciting to me and my listeners. So, I’ll always remind myself to find that balance between knowing what’s popular and knowing my music taste using the feeling in my gut.

Are there any artists that you’d love to work with?

There’s a lot of film directors that I’d want to work with. There are so many people that come to my mind. As far as music goes, I really enjoy writing with other artists whether it’s for me or for them. I want to write a song with Benny from New Zealand and she’s in L.A. Hopefully, I could make that happen.

A post shared by troye sivan (@troyesivan)

You have been in the industry for a few years now and you’re still thriving. In your opinion, what do you think is a key role to sustaining one’s music career with the ever-emerging of new music and new artists?

I would say, make stuff that you actually like because chances are, someone else is gonna like it too. I could not care less about the trajectory going up or the numbers. I just want to keep it exciting for everyone and for myself. So, I make something that I’m proud of.

You’ve done well in acting too. What are the similarities between acting and music?

I feel like I worked the same. As a songwriter, your job is to bring up real emotions that maybe or not necessarily feeling that thing in that exact moment. If you’re lucky enough to be able to get into a studio and write when you’re in the thick of something, that’s awesome! But most of the time, it’s about recalling feelings and communicating them to tell the story. That’s exactly what acting is as well. It’s a lot of pulling up stuff from your past. There’s a lot of dualities there. I feel acting is scarier because I’ve done less of it.

Is there a new project that you’re currently working on?

So, I’ve just started writing again and I’ve been having so much of fun. I’m always working on music and I was in a film that has just wrapped up its filming. Hopefully, that would get released next year. That would be my first lead role in an American movie as an actor which is very scary but exciting. That’s lots of cool stuff but I can’t say them out.

“Angel Baby” is available on platforms such as Spotify, JOOX and Apple Music.

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#Kingsman2: New Character Posters & Movie Details Revealed

“Looks like I’m back to save the world…again,” the star of “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”, Taron Egerton tweeted.

In conjunction with this week’s San Diego Comic Con, 20th Century Fox has unveiled 8 brand new character posters from the “Kingsman” sequel. This new slate of images feature both film’s protagonist and antagonist.

The gents are back in town. pic.twitter.com/eupws70T2V

— The King's Man (@KingsmanMovie) July 17, 2017

After saving the world from the big bad Valentine (played by Samuel L. Jackson) in 2014’s original “Kingsman”, Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (played by Taron Egerton) and what’s left of the British organisation – including Merlin (played by Mark Strong) – must figure out their next move when their headquarters is destroyed.

They decide to team up with their American counterparts in the Statesman. Led by their leader Champ (played by Jeff Bridges), the USA team consist of Southern secret agent Tequila (played by Channing Tatum), whip-cracking Whiskey (played by Pedro Pascal), and tech guru Ginger Ale (played by Halle Berry).

The American side of the Kingsman coin: meet the Statesman. pic.twitter.com/R290utL3gg

So what happens when the UK meets USA? According to filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, the result is “a healthy rivalry with cultural clashes”. He continued, “There’s a great line that Churchill said about America: The only thing we really have in common between England and America is the language, and even that’s debatable”.

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” also introduces a new villain in the form of criminal mastermind Poppy Adams (played by Julianne Moore). Vaughn said she’s like a “Martha Stewart on crack”. The director added, “She identifies a problem in the world where her point is valid but her solution is crazy and insane and not good. I wanted to make sure she had moments where you were like, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe what she’s doing’. ”

Meet Poppy. She's a darling of a disaster. pic.twitter.com/8io2yffSjI

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” will debut on 22nd September 2017.


Hype’s Now Playing: BIGBANG – 맨정신 (SOBER)

The music video for BIGBANG‘s latest single from their “MADE Series” releases, “맨정신” (Sober) has been released!

You’ve heard BIGBANG’s “Loser” and “Bae Bae” (MADE Series M), as well as “Bang Bang Bang” and “We Like 2 Party” (MADE Series A). Now get a load of this next song! Prior to its release, expectations for the single ran high as the teaser image hinted that “Sober” would be a happy song. As expected, “Sober” is an upbeat, summer-y track that embraces a slightly dreamy, less trippy concept as compared to “Bae Bae”.

And the music video didn’t disappoint either!

The song practically came to life, with each member jumping, running, and spinning around in their respective individual sets. Each individual set is put together artistically e.g. leader G-Dragon’s is filled with beds while Taeyang is trapped in a steam shower. Just when you think they won’t all come together for a “grand finale”, towards the end, the BIGBANG boys can be seen running free in a field, like they’re “running towards their dreams”, as the huge signage would suggest.

Note: Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, there’s no music video for what is said to be the saddest song BIGBANG has ever wrote, “If You”. You can, however, check it out here.

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

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#Arrival: Movie Poster Spark Outrage By Mistaking Hong Kong For Shanghai

Uh oh, looks like a movie poster from Hollywood movie “Arrival” has accidentally sparked an uproar when one particular detail was superimposed onto Hong Kong Island’s landscape.

The 12 individual posters released by Paramount Pictures show 12 different cities around the world, as mysterious aliens arrive, presumably to take over the planet. One of those posters had a geography error by including Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour in the bottom right of the image.

The blunder took the film’s tagline “Why Are They Here?” to a whole new level when netizens flooded the social media post with the hashtags – #HongKongIsNotChina, #HongKongIndependence, and #WhyOrientalPearlTowerHere – while criticising the oversight of the marketing designer.

“Please remove this ugly tower from Victoria Harbour,” Facebook user Chin Chiu-man wrote, while another angry user commented: “Why don’t you put a pyramid in New York”. Cherry Ben took it even further when he said, “Lets boycott this piece of shit. Putting the f**king tower in Vic. Harbour doesn’t mean it represents China you f**king idiot.”

The poster which was displayed on the movie’s official Facebook page has since been removed by the admin.

In case you weren’t aware about the socio-political situation between the 2 countries, Hong Kong was previously a British colony until 1997. Since then, tension between Hong Kong and mainland China has escalated, especially in recent years, when it called for its independence from China altogether.

Based on sci-fi writer Ted Chiang’s short story “Story of Your Life”, the synopsis for “Arrival” is as follows:

“When mysterious spacecrafts touch down across the globe, an elite team – lead by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) – is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers – and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.”

So do y’all think this hiccup will hurt the film’s international box office?

Arrival hits theatres on 11th November 2016.


#TheTemperTrap: Australian Band To Perform At Upfront@The Bee In March 2017

“So stay there, cause I’ll be coming over, while our blood’s still young..”

That’s right. Australian band The Temper Trap is coming back to town!

Formed in 2005, The Temper Trap consists of members Dougy Mandagi (vocals), Jonathon Aherne (bass guitar), Toby Dundas (drums), and Joseph Greer (keyboards and guitar). Their debut album, “Conditions”, was released in June 2009 and immediately achieved commercial success. In fact, the album’s lead single, “Sweet Disposition”, was a fast favourite, earning them “Best Group” and “Most Popular Australian Single” at the 2010 ARIA Music Awards.

Their 2nd album, “The Temper Trap”, also went on to earn them awards – “Best Rock Album” and “Best Group” at the 2012 ARIA Awards. The band currently has 3 studio albums tucked under their belt, with “Thick as Thieves” being the latest.

Organised by Upfront@The Bee, in collaboration with ADSC, a subdivision of The Livescape Group, this 4-piece band is about to get you singing along this March.

Tickets are now available via http://www.galactix.asia/temper-trap-KL-2017. Go get ’em!

For more information, hit up The Livescape Group’s website or Facebook page,

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#MortalKombat: Director James Wan Eyed To Produce Movie Adaptation

If you’re a gamer, chances are you’ve played “Mortal Kombat” at least once in your life.

This popular yet incredibly violent video game franchise will be turned into a live-action movie and Hollywood might have found the right person to handle it. According to The Tracking Board, director James Wan is reportedly in talks to produce the film for Warner Bros.’ New Line Productions.

“Mortal Kombat” was originally developed by Midway Games’ Chicago studio in 1992. The development team was acquired by Warner Bros. and turned into NetherRealm Studio after Midway’s bankruptcy. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment currently owns the rights to the series, which was rebooted in 2011.

The video game franchise, which sold over 35 million units since it launched, was originally based on an idea that Ed Boon and John Tobias had for a video game starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. As the idea fell through, a fantasy-themed fighting game titled “Mortal Kombat” was created instead. Despite the harsh ratings for graphic violence in the series, it has spawned many sequels and has been spun off into several action-adventure games, films (animated and live-action with its own sequel), and TV series (animated and live-action). It also appeared in a comic book series, a card game, and a live-action tour.

Along with Capcom’s “Street Fighter”, Mortal Kombat is one of the most successful fighting franchises in the history of video games.

Back then, despite the financial success, the films suffered from a poor reception by critics and fans alike. The franchise eventually broke down in 1997. A few years later, director Kevin Tancharoen released an 8-minute short film titled “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth” as a proof of concept for his pitch of a reboot movie franchise to Warner Brothers.

In September 2011, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. confirmed that Tancharoen has signed on to direct the reboot from a screenplay written by Oren Uziel. However, Tancharoen left the project in 2013 to pursue “other creative opportunities”.

Wan has proved himself to be the most sought-after director in Hollywood after helming “Furious 7“, which became a box office success with over $1.4 billion in global box office receipts. He has since been eyed to direct a slew of big-budgeted films as multiple studio executives were all vying for his attention to board on their projects.

Given the success of his horror classics such as 2010’s “Insidious” and 2013’s “The Conjuring”, his involvement in the project is good for New Line as the reboot has been stalled in production for a while now. Wan is currently directing “The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist“ for New Line, which is due to shoot this fall. He is also tied to produced the remake of “The Entity” with his “Conjuring” creative team.


#ThorRagnarok Features Marvel’s First LGBT Character In A Movie

It’s been confirmed that “Thor: Ragnarok” features Marvel’s first openly LGBT(QI) character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Actress Tessa Thompson – who plays the elite fighter/sarcastic alcoholic Valkyrie – recently took to Twitter to verify that her superhero character is indeed bisexual. This came after a moviegoer expressed his disappointment at Valkyrie’s “typical sexless Marvel tomboy” look. This prompted another fan to defend the female character.

“Valkyrie in the comics is a big ole lesbian so I doubt she would give your opinion any thought,” the fan wrote. Thompson, however, corrected the fan by commenting, “She’s bi. And yes, she cares very little about what men think of her. What a joy to play!”

Having said that, there is no actual evidence of Valkyrie’s bisexuality in the film. “Val is Bi in the comics and I was faithful to that in her depiction,” she explained in a separate tweet. “But her sexuality isn’t explicitly addressed in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’.” Regardless the 34-year-old star’s character is still a total cinematic badass.

As comic book fans may know, Valkyrie’s sexuality has been established in the comics for years. She has been involved with both men (Thor and Agent Venom) as well as women (archaeologist Annabelle Riggs). In the film, we do see flashbacks of Valkyrie fighting alongside her fellow female warriors. However, the main narrative of this movie sees her developing friendships with Thor and Hulk.

In addition to Valkyrie, there has also been LGBT(QI) representation on the small screen. Juan Pablo Raba’s Joey Gutierrez (a metal-melting Inhuman from Agents of “S.H.I.E.L.D.”) and Carrie-Ann Moss’s Jeri Hogarth (a fierce lawyer from “Jessica Jones”, “Daredevil”, and “The Defenders”) are both gay.

If you don’t mind more spoilers, you can also find out what happens during the 2 post credits scenes here. While you’re at it, check out our 10 thundering fun facts of “Thor: Ragnarok”.

Sources: Screen Rant, Inverse, E! News/ Featured image: Marvel.

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South Korean Convenience Chain Store GS25 To Open In Malaysia

If you ever need something while you’re out and about, convenience stores are your best friend. They have (almost) everything; be it food, drinks, or even daily necessities.

Malaysia has garnered quite a few convenience store brands over the years from MyNews, 7Eleven, Family Mart and CU. Well, we’re getting one more. Starting 2023, Korean convenience store GS25 will be opening its first outlet in Malaysia!

Malaysia isn’t the first Southeast Asian country GS25 has made inroads to. Previously, the South Korean store chain opened branches in Vietnam and Mongolia. With its arrival, it brought popular Korean food and drinks to locals. Additionally, the store in Vietnam offers fresh produce, which might also be the case for Malaysia.

The South Korean store chain will be teaming up with KK Group to venture into the Malaysian market. Currently, KK Group has 610 KK Mart stores in Malaysia and is also involved in the hotel and resort businesses. However, they are hoping to introduce GS25 to Malaysia and expand it to Southeast Asia. The goal is to have 500 stores in five years.

Well, if you are a die-hard lover of all things Korean, GS25 is definitely a dream come true for you! You’ll be able to explore Korean delicacies and brands to your heart’s content.

But, hold your horses! Currently, there is no news about when or even where the store will be opening. So, stay tuned for updates and in the meantime, feel free to start planning your shopping spree.


Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda To Bring Post Traumatic Tour To Singapore

Mike Shinoda will be embarking on a solo tour to promote his new album, “Post Traumatic”.

Aptly titled the “Post Traumatic Tour”, the Linkin Park co-founder will be travelling across Southeast Asia for his shows. While Hong Kong and Bangkok were previously included in his solo tour, the musician has just added Singapore in the list.

Back in January, the 41-year-old artist released the “Post Traumatic” EP. It was a 3-song project inspired by the tragic death of Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington last July. “Amidst the chaos, I’ve started to feel an intense gratitude — for your tributes and messages of support, for the career you have allowed me to have, and for the simple opportunity to create,” Shinoda said.

Fret not though, Linkin Park is not over – it’s just on hold. The band’s last record, One More Light, was released in May 2017. “I have every intention on continuing with LP, and the guys feel the same. We have a lot of rebuilding to do, and questions to answer, so it’ll take time,” Shinoda promised.

A post shared by Mike Shinoda (@m_shinoda)

#PostTraumaticTour /// Singapore /// August 22nd /// LPU Pre-Sale starts June 5th, 10am (SGT) /// Public On-Sale starts June 11th @ 10am (SGT) Tickets: https://t.co/KJjIsrwt1x #posttraumatictour pic.twitter.com/721vkrDwfA

— Mike Shinoda (@mikeshinoda) June 4, 2018

Brought to you by LAMC Productions, the details to Mike Shinoda’s “Post Traumatic Tour” Live in Singapore are as follows:

Early bird pre-sale tickets priced at S$138* will be available from TicketFlap on Wednesday, 6th June at 10am. Standard tickets priced at S$148* will be available from Sistic on Monday, 11th June at 10am (*excluding booking fee).


Mank Review: The Rosebud Of Finchers, A Spectacular Ode To Classic Tinseltown

Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane” is one of the most beloved films of all time. Definitely dissected more times than you could say “rosebud” in a sentence, its timeless quality was arguably ahead of its time with themes of absolute power providing generations with countless conversations. As a matter of fact, some consider “Citizen Kane” to be the greatest film ever made.

Nevertheless, did you know that behind all that glory, in the back of all that acclaim, was a wrestle for the authorship of its screenplay? Yup, it was a battle that broiled for ages, one that never really faded till death took one party away. Indeed, that’s what David Fincher’s latest feature, “Mank”, attempts to deliver: the story behind the greatest film ever made.

So, does “Mank” drop the tank or take it to the bank? Let’s take a look!

The film takes place in the 1930s, when playwright Herman J Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman), informally known as Mank to his friends and associates, is involved in a car accident. That little spinout takes him out of the game but soon Orson Welles and his booming presence enter the frame to offer Mank an incredulously speedy script gig. And… the rest is history.

Director David Fincher had initially planned to make this film back in the 90s, with notable performers such as Kevin Spacey and Jodie Foster attached to the project. However, it never got off the ground due to Fincher’s adamant stance that the film was to harken back to its monochrome roots. Also of note is that the screenplay was written by Fincher’s father, Jack, who passed away in 2003. As such, “Mank” is a deeply personal project for Fincher.

Much work was placed into making sure that the visual aesthetic of the film compared to that of a feature from the 1930s. Undoubtedly, Fincher and crew actively placed a great deal of effort into recreating the rich monotones of the classics. Everything from the sound, music, and filmmaking style is embellished with that old-school flair, with many techniques being utilised from that era. As a matter of fact, the composers of “Mank” only used period-authentic instruments to recreate a score reminiscent of “Citizen Kane”.

We found one detail particularly interesting whereby cue marks aka cigarette burns were inserted. Yes, it is an old technique used as a marker to signal to the projectionist that the scene was ending. However, what struck gold was the writing of the scene which utilised the effect as a meta-reference to the dialogue.

Furthermore, if you’ve watched Fincher’s other masterpiece, “Fight Club”, The Narrator explains the device in detail. So, if you want more information, do watch “Fight Club” because we are good souls and we do not talk about “Fight Club” here.

“Mank” is not for everyone, indeed. It can be said that the level of enjoyment or appreciation of this film may vary according to how well-versed one is with the backstory of “Citizen Kane”. To some, this might be some random monochrome picture that Netflix put out in order to bow to the fancies of Hollywood, or as the film puts it, acting as a proverbial “organ grinder’s monkey”. It really isn’t all that interesting if you weren’t invested in cinema and Tinseltown’s history in the first place.

Besides, if you’re expecting some kind of neo-noir psychological enigma like “Se7en”, you’re not going to get that. Probably the closest to “Mank” would be the 2010 film, “The Social Network”, which dealt with a similar struggle for dominance within the creation of a billion-dollar idea called Facebook. Yet, the similarities end there as “Mank” leans more into its own era and appreciation of the classic period. It is a unique, independent voice of its own, one that is distinctive from the rest of Fincher’s works.

While we would not call it a companion piece to “Citizen Kane” – not everything revolves around the controversial authorship battle, a certain degree of familiarity or awareness is needed to fully grasp why certain characters behave in certain ways. Why was this character so important to Mank and to his work? Why are certain scenes so stylistically filmed? “Mank” ties these up into little bundles within its nonlinear screenplay, delivering them to the audience in little envelopes one at a time which may further confuse the casual audience member.

While we could say that not everyone will enjoy this flick in the same manner, it is with an undisputable assuredness that one may rejoice in Gary Oldman’s performance.

In “Mank”, Oldman commands every single scene he is in with ease. From his liquor-fuelled monologues to his passion-filled cackles, the actor is at his very best. Mind you, half of the time, Oldman is throwing his weight while on a soft, comfy white bed. The drunken stupor as he awakes to answer a call is ever entertaining. As he struts the streets of Los Angeles, his character is given a range of both giddy joy and emotional turmoil as he allows his personal demon in a bottle to consume him and his work.

Gary Oldman is a tour-de-force with his performance as the titular character. There’s no doubt about that. There’s a reason why he’s an Academy Award-winning actor, and he displays that in a very drunken monologue at the climax, delivering each line with increasingly heightened passion just before the cake explodes. It is without a doubt, that Oldman displays why he’s one of Hollywood’s finest yet again in “Mank”.

Amanda Seyfried is also excellent in her role as actress Marion Davies, the wife of newspaper publisher William Hearst (Charles Dance), who was part of the inspiration for Welles’ character in “Citizen Kane”. Seyfried is at her dramatic best as her wide-eyed visage provides Davies with a shimmering contrast to Oldman’s Mank. She delights her way throughout the script as the main crux to a conflicted character, one who is caught in the middle of a war.

If there is a weak link within the performances, we probably might have to pick on Tom Burke’s representation of Orson Welles. While absolutely fine in certain scenes, it did not feel all that consistent in the latter part of the film. Burke’s position and tone of assertion were a little staler in comparison to where he was at the start. Again, this is a nitpick, because Mr Burke had to live up to the legacy of the legend himself.

Nonetheless, every supporting character is woven into this script with ease as Hearst dances his way to politics, Welles plays within the shadows and Davies wrestles with her inner turmoil. Even Rita Alexander (Lilly Collins), Mank’s secretary is given a substantial arc whilst providing humourous assistance to her employer.

“Mank” is a tremendous collaborative piece of work from both father and son and there could be no better tribute to his dad than to finish the film with great attention to detail. Everything from the set design, sound, music, performances, and cinematography all revel in the period in which it was set. There’s no holding back when it comes to making sure that the viewer digests a time capsule, providing a visceral atmosphere and experience through the grains of film. This is cinema at its finest.

Man, what a triumph for David Fincher. Having left the feature game for six years, doing a little TV on the side, “Mank” certainly did right by himself with this film. We’re sure this will be an awards season contender, one that could allow Fincher and Netflix to reach for glory as Mankiewicz and Welles once did.

“Mank” is currently streaming on Netflix.

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James Blunt Sings, “Goodbye, My Lover”

Singer-songwriter James Blunt who has sold 18 million albums worldwide has decided to call it quits. In an interview with The Daily Mail, Blunt said “I just want to take some time out for myself. I haven’t got any plans to do more songwriting. I have been chilling out since I finished my world tour and I’ve spent a lot of time in Ibiza”.

He once quit the British Army to become a singer and became famous in 2005 with his album Back to Bedlam, which consists of “You’re Beautiful” and “Goodbye My Lover”. That particular album sold 11 million copies and obtained two Brit Awards and five Grammy nominations.

We’ll miss you! Have a great long vacay!

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For more information, visit James Blunt’s Facebook page.