Chill In The City With A Staycation At InterContinental Hotel KL

Everyone is abuzz with the holiday season right now, and we can’t blame you! After all, who doesn’t love a good holiday? However, these nice long breaks aren’t always available and staying at home on the weekends can get a little dry. Not to mention actually planning a full-length holiday can be more stressful than the vacation itself.

Well, if that’s the case, why not take a short staycation nearby? For instance, at the InterContinental Hotel KL. We got to opportunity to experience an overnight stay, and here’s our honest take on it.

Of course, the first thing you’ll want to check out are the rooms. We were given a spacious King Classic Room, which can comfortably house two people. The king-sized bed doesn’t take up much space, but certainly offers enough room for you to sprawl out comfortably and not touch the edges. Other features of the room include a work desk, a mini fridge, a CBTL coffee/tea maker and plenty of plug points spread around.

The bathroom itself is equally spacious and luxurious, with both a shower and a bathtub. As such, after a long day of being outside, feel free to choose between a nice hot shower or an indulgent soak in the bathtub. The bathroom is also well equipped with a hairdryer and plenty of counter space by the sink.

However, as comfy as the room is, there’s no point staying in it all day. After all, there’s plenty to do outside. There are a few facilities for guests, such as a swimming area, a gym and a spa. So, not only do you get to squeeze in some exercise during your staycation, you can also fit in a nice massage session!

The swimming area is a decent sized pool, with both an adult pool and a kids pool for families to relax in. The gym is well-equipped, so there is no excuse to skip your arm or leg day! The spa also offers several services, so browse through their menu and pick a few to help you relax. Also, with the nearby Ampang Park LRT station, getting to KLCC is easy as it’s only a stop away.

Of course, one of the main worries when it comes to staycations are the prices. We have to admit, a holiday isn’t always cheap. However, there are apps, such as Traveloka, that can help streamline your holiday planning and offer affordable deals. With that being said… don’t hesitate to treat yourself if you’re overdue a long break!


#NowYouSeeMe: Sequel Scheduled For A 2016 Release

“The Four Horsemen” are back to perform yet another magnificent magic show as the release date for the sequel for “Now You See Me” has been confirmed!

Lionsgate announced a summer 2016 release date for “Now You See Me 2”. A significant date, no less, because the magical sequel will hit theatres the same weekend that the original film made its debut in 2013. The original film raked in a surprise success total of over USD350 million in worldwide box office.

Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco will be returning to the film as the quarter of magicians aka “The Four Horsemen” while Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine will also reprise their roles.

Directed by Jon M. Chu, the sequel will be produced by Alex Kurtzman and Bobby Cohen while the script will be written by Ed Solomon and Pete Chiarelli. Jon M. Chu is an American film director and screenwriter best known for directing the movies “Step Up 2: The Streets”, “Step Up 3D”, “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never”, and “G.I. Joe: Retaliation”. Alex Kurtzman, on the other hand, was on board for 2013’s “Now You See Me” and has recently worked on some highly popular films as well such as “Star Trek Into Darkness”, “Ender’s Game”, and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”.

It looks like “Now You See Me 2” has got quite an all-star team. We’re not surprised if the prime summer slot that the film got for release will drive it right into the heart of next year’s award season. This one will be one to watch, for many reasons.

“Now You See Me 2” is slated for a 10th June 2016 release.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Madonna Will Cancel Concert If You Smoke

What? Madonna threatened to cancel her concert over smoking fans? Well somebody’s got her panties in a twist.

The story’s very much true though – the legendary artiste was in Santiago to put up a show. While she was in the middle of sound check, she noticed that there was smoke in the air. Madonna later found out that it came from her fans who were smoking in the open-air theater. But the best part was perhaps the way she lashed out at her devoted fans while she was performing “Human Nature”.

“There are people smoking right now! If you’re gonna smoke cigarettes, I’m not doing a show. You don’t care about me, I don’t care about you. Alright?”, she apparently yelled. And when her fans didn’t care, she went on to say yell, “Are you going to play that game? I’m not kidding. I can’t sing if you smoke, entiendes?”

(Note: “Entiendes?” means “Understand?” in Spanish)

A bunch of fans then responded by shouting, “We love you!” but Madonna showed no mercy. She then replied, “If you love me, then don’t smoke. No smoking! You’re looking right at me while you’re smoking cigarettes, like I’m a stupid f—ing idiot.”

Uh, and then she walked off stage, leaving her loyal fans in the rain. She came back after awhile (we assume, after she cooled off a little bit) but still..


(UPDATE) #EgyptAir: Flight MS804 “Disappears From Radar”; Search & Rescue Deployed

An EgyptAir flight, MS804, heading from Paris to Cairo, has disappeared from radar, the airline tweeted on Thursday (19th May 2016).

The plane departed from Paris at 11:09pm (5:09am Malaysian time) and was travelling at an altitude of 37,000 feet before disappearing about 10 miles into Egyptian airspace.

It was supposed to have landed in Cairo at 3:15am (9:15am Malaysian time).

According to CNN, it was carrying a total of 69 people – 59 passengers and 10 crew. Flightradar24.com tweeted that the plane was an Airbus A320 and its last known position was above the Mediterranean Sea.

The airline’s media center said it will provide more information as it becomes available. Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry said that search and rescue teams have been deployed to look for the plane.

EGYPTAIR media centre will update as more information becomes available.

Earlier in March, EgyptAir Flight MS181 was taken over by a passenger claiming to be wearing a suicide explosive belt. The man forced the pilot to divert to Cyprus. Airline officials later said that the belt was fake, and that no one was injured in the hijacking.

It turned out the hijacker was hoping the stunt would help him to reunite with his estranged wife.

Earlier, the airline said that 69 people were on board EgyptAir’s flight MS804. However, the EgyptAir aircraft was in fact carrying 56 passengers in addition to 10 cabin crew members.

This was confirmed by the airline via a statement on their Facebook page, which reads:

Egypt’s Civil Aviation ministry says “floating material,” including life jackets and plastic items, have been found in the sea off the Greek island of Karpathos, close to the suspected site of the plane crash. EgyptAir’s flight 804 is believed to have crashed into the Mediterranean sea.

Sources: CNN, Flightradar24, CNA, EgyptAir, TIME, BBC, AP / Featured image: Flightradar24.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Hype’s Now Playing: 4Minute – Cold Rain

About a week ago, we posted up a little something on what was suspected to be teasers to K-Pop idol girl group 4Minute’s comeback.

It all unravelled when a mysterious 57-second long video was uploaded on 4Minute’s official Youtube channel, indicating that the K-Pop idol girl group could or could not be bouncing right back into the scene with brand new songs and dances. After which, the girls released a series of alluring “Cold Rain” teasers for what would be their first title track.

In case you missed it, check out the gallery below:

“Cold Rain” was slated to be pre-released as their first title track ahead of the official return of the “REVAMPED” 4Minute. Fans were promised that the song will drop on 26th Jan, followed by the rest of their album and then the second title track in February. Well, it looks like the 4Minute girls kept their promise because the official music video for “Cold Rain” was just released today!

We don’t know about you but we think that this is a nice change for 4Minute since it’s a ballad title song and in the past, we’ve grown quite accustomed to their faster, more upbeat tracks.

Are you excited to hear the rest of their comeback album? What do you think the rest of their concept would be like? Let us know in the comments box below!

For more information, visit 4Minute’s Facebook page.


Phua Chu Kang To Entertain Malaysians At Quill City Mall On 23rd November

Fancy yourself a good laugh? Then head right over to Quill City Mall’s convention centre on 23rd November, when the original Singaporean comedian maestro, Phua Chu Kang, comes to town to work on his magic.

To the uninitiated, Phua Chu Kang was a character played by actor Gurmit Singh, 54, in the infamously hilarious series titled “Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd”. The series was about the life of Phua Chu Kang and the adventures he had with his family in their everyday life.

Fashioning a facial mole, and yellows boots, Phua Chu Kang has always been a television icon of Singapore. Not only that, but if you ever been to one of his stand-ups you would have recognise his unique use of Singlish (Singaporean English) in his act, which will certainly be something different.

So no matter whether you’re a fan of the comedian, or simply trying to find a place for a good laugh (read: de-stress), this event will certainly be one to look out for.

Details for the event will be as follows:


The Good “Mou Man Tai” Life

Last weekend, our favourite neighbourhood pub, “Tom, Dick & Harry’s” aka TDH organized the sixth edition of its night run. This time, with a sweet twist!

Themed “A Mou Man Tai Life“, which translates to “A No Problem Life”, the main objective of the activity is to gather friends, pub-goers, and people from the surrounding neighbourhoods for some healthy fun. Over the past few runs, the awesome bosses of TDH found that they could use the overwhelming support for a bigger cause.

This time around, the TDH bosses and crew decided to partner with the Malaysian AIDS Foundation to help spread awareness of the dangers of HIV/AIDS and also raise funds for the foundation. The move not only made the “A Mou Man Tai Life” run more meaningful, but also helped instill knowledge in participants about the disease. And these participants, in the spirit of healthy living, were required to pay an entry fee of RM40, in which RM10 would go right into the Malaysian AIDS Foundation fund.

Each participant was also rewarded with free pre-run drinks, an exclusive TDH T-shirt, and free flow after-run drinks. We don’t know about you but it sounds like a good bargain to us!:

[youtube id=”c-v8L_mnPng width=”600″ height=”350″]

So, on the 1st of July 2012 (Sunday), the party started early at TDH in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail. The crowd trickled in from as early as 3pm and by 5pm, the place was bursting at seams with runners, friends, and supporters.

A giant stage was built for the after-run’s “Tom, Dick & Harry Live” event (which featured live performances), “Eat For Charity” food stalls selling burgers and hotdogs were set up, and even a photo op wall for those who wanted to take pictures in their TDH running gear!

Speaking of running gear, there were also limited edition TDH-branded “Mou Man Tai” Adidas running shoes for sale. We especially loved the red ones.

Priced at RM400 odd per pair, they were quite a steal!

TDH’s “A Mou Man Tai Life” 5km night run in partnership with the Malaysian AIDS Foundation saw a whopping number of 1,534 participants. If you do the math, it means that TDH has managed to collect about RM15,340 for charity. Wow. One word, success!

A run that we’ll remember for years to come? Yes.

For more information, and to show them love, hit up their Facebook page.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Arrival Analysis: Understanding The Philosophy Of Denis Villeneuve’s Masterpiece

Just like Villeneuve’s 2013 film, Enemy, “Arrival” is a movie that does not spoon feed you any of its answers. And I love that. After watching this movie, I went home, slept on it and allowed it to marinate at the back of my head. When I woke up, I started scribbling notes on a dusty old envelope I found on my floor (for whatever reason, I do not own a notebook). A couple of days later, I watched the movie again. Then, I convinced anyone who would listen, to watch the movie. And then, I watched the movie for the third time. This movie is f**king phenomenal, I tell ya.

So, let’s not waste any more time and get cracking, shall we?

As Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) starts learning the Heptapod language, she slowly begins to get visions of the “future.” The first couple of things that probably come to mind is:

I’m not going to outright rubbish those notions. This movie is after all, open to interpretation. Having said that, I personally disagree with both number one and two.

Louise did not receive superpowers from the Heptapods, and unlike Neo from the Matrix, she isn’t the “chosen one.” On the contrary, ANYONE who masters the Heptapod language, will change their perception of time and be able to see the “future.” Now, you might think that it’s absolutely ludicrous and illogical for a person to be able to see the future just by learning a language. I mean c’mon! What is this? A comic book movie? Maybe it is a little crazy. It is Science-FICTION, after all. But, believe it or not, there’s an actual logical explanation for this.

In a voiceover at the start of the film, Amy Adams’ character, Dr. Louise Banks says:

This is the first and perhaps, most important key to understanding the movie. What does this sentence mean? And, how is it significant to the movie? For that, we must first understand the concept of TIME. Huw Price, a philosophy professor at Cambridge University once said,

“We sense an arrow or direction of time, and even of causation, because our minds add a subjective ingredient to reality, so that we are projecting onto the world the temporal perspective that we have as agents in this environment.”

That science-y gibberish basically means that time isn’t necessarily an actual physical thing, but rather just a man-made concept. A car is an actual physical thing. A water bottle is an actual physical thing. Your grandma’s smelly dentures is an actual physical thing. Time, is not.

To us, time is linear. It moves in a straight line.

You see, that one-directional idea of time, isn’t necessarily REAL, but rather, our REALITY. It is a subjective reality that we, as agents of this environment AKA humans, collectively agree upon. And this reality is influenced by the language we speak which then influences our culture as a whole.

This notion is brought up once in the movie, by Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner).

Ian Donnelly: You know, I was doing some reading about this idea, that if you immerse yourself into a foreign language, that you can actually rewire your brain.

Again, although the entire movie takes place in a fictional world, this is very much a real-world concept. Sapir-Whorf hypothesis – a theory coined by Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf – states that language influences an individual’s mode of thought, as well as the behaviour of the culture in which it’s spoken.

The languages we speak – English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, Tamil, Spanish, Russian, etc. – determine our mode of thought, which causes us to see time in a straight line. The Heptapod language in “Arrival” is completely different, and thus their mode of thought is very much different from ours.

In contrast to us, these Heptapods view time in a non-linear form. Instead of a one-directional straight line, it is more or less a circle (or a loop), whereby the start or end is unclear.

Keeping with the logic of Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, it is entirely plausible for EVERYONE, not just Louise, to be able to change their perception of time, by learning the Heptapod language.

I’m not sure if you noticed. Throughout the article, I’ve placed the word FUTURE, in inverted commas. This is because, even the concept of past, present and future, is merely a reality that we have collectively agreed upon. But, for the purpose of simplification, I will continue to use the terms “past,” “present” and “future.”

Towards the end of the film, the rug is pulled from under our legs. #Plottwistmotherfucker. We learn that what was initially thought to be flashbacks, are actually Louise’s visions of the future. And, these visions help her resolve the conflict that’s happening in the “present.”

When this plot twist happens, our minds start racing. We try to piece the puzzle together. And, we have many questions. “Oh, so it’s actually the future, not the past.” “Wait a minute. If Louise only starts having visions of the future midway through the movie, how come we see her vision at the start of the movie?”

Notice how we immediately try to rearrange the scenes in the movie? Villeneuve presents this film in a non-linear form. Why can’t we just accept that? Our desire to rearrange the sequences of the film in chronological order, highlights something that is said at the very start. “We are so bound by time. By its order.”

Now that we’ve got the TIME aspect of “Arrival” covered. Let’s look at some of the other things that “Arrival” teaches us.

When Ian Donnelly and Louise first meet, they have a minor disagreement. Louise believes that:

Ian Donnelly disagrees. He thinks science is the foundation of civilization. I tend to side with Louise. Maybe because I’m very much an arts and literature guy, myself. Or perhaps it’s because the only thing I ever cared about when I learned science in high school, was ‘reproduction.’

Anyway, through its unfolding events, “Arrival” constantly highlights the complexities and importance of language.

In one scene, China delivers an ultimatum to the Heptapods. “The aliens have 24 hours to leave Chinese territory, or face destruction.” Language is the first weapon drawn in conflict.

In the second act of the movie, many countries decide not to share their intel with each other, opting for radio silence, instead. Louise isn’t happy with this decision. She thinks that it’s important to constantly communicate with your allies. By the end of the movie, she’s proven to be right.

The conflict against the Heptapods is resolved when Louise makes a phone call to General Shang of China and delivers a message. Something that could not have been achieved through radio silence. And in one of Louise’s visions, we see a gala of sorts, where flags of many countries hang side by side, as a symbol of unity. All this is achieved, because Louise chose to COMMUNICATE.

This isn’t some gobbledygook cooked up by Villeneuve and Heisserer. Why is it that 54 years later, people still remember, quote and preach Martin Luther King Jr.’s I have a Dream speech? Because language is powerful. Language is the glue that holds people together.

When we think of Hitler, we usually think of the Holocaust and the annihilation of six million Jews. But do we ever stop to wonder, how is it that a tiny little fellow, with a horrible fashion sense, rose to such powers in the first place? He didn’t put guns to the heads of every single German and force them to worship him. No. He gained followers through his speeches and propaganda. He used LANGUAGE to manipulate people.

Another aspect of language that “Arrival” heavily explores is the idea of:

The movie first explores this area with the whole: What is the Sanskrit word for war, and its translation?

One linguist claims that the Sanskrit word for war is “Gavisti,” which means, “an argument.” Louise points out that, that is wrong. The accurate translation would be “a desire for more cow.”

This small exchange of dialogue highlights something very important. A lot of words often get lost in translation or are misinterpreted and this more often than not, can lead to misunderstandings and conflict.

This area is explored a couple more times, with Louise’s fake Kangaroo story and then finally, the misunderstanding with the Heptapods. One of the countries interprets the Heptapods’ message as “offer weapon.” This causes a lot of the world leaders to panic, as they see this as a threat by the Heptapods. But as Louise points out, what if the Heptapods do not know the difference between the word “weapon” and the word “tool?” What if the word “weapon” does not exist in the Heptapods’ vocabulary. It could’ve just been a case of misunderstanding. And as it turns out, it was.

Again, this isn’t just some fictional bullshit. There are in fact, a lot of words from languages around the globe, that do not have a direct English translation.

For instance, the Yagan word, ‘mamihlapinatapei,’ which means the special look shared between two people, when both are wishing that the other would do something that they both want, but neither want to do. Or, what about the Indonesian word, ‘jayus’ which means a joke so poorly told and so unfunny that one cannot help but laugh.

And, what about certain words that have different meanings in different contexts. If you walk into any cyber cafe, you might hear, “Holy shit bro! I don’t think we can win. Our opponents are too damn gay.” Does the word “gay” mean homosexual? No, of course not. Within the gaming bubble, the word “gay” simply means, bloody fucking awesome.

There you have it. My analysis of Denis Villeneuve’s best film till date, “Arrival”. I’m dead confident, that many years from now, “Arrival” will be hailed as a masterpiece and ranked among other Sci-Fi classics.

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

This article was previously posted on my blog (which is under construction) at the beginning of 2017.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


More Names Announced For Music Conference Asia 2013!

Music Conference ASIA uncovers its full line up for its official festival stage, GLOBAL SOUND SYSTEM! Music Conference ASIA and Global Sound System will take you on an audiovisual adventure this 27th April 2013 (Saturday) with top of the class, legendary electronic music acts – international and local.

Previously, we announced that Brian Transeau aka BT will be heading to Music Conference ASIA 2013, alongside Alex Kenji and Judge Jules. Now, we learn that John O’Callaghan, who has previously notched-up countless productions and released them on some of the most respected labels in the world of electronic dance music (EDM) will be also joining the troop!

[youtube id=”t2lav8rqK4Y” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Also slated to play on 27th April 2013 are music maestros Felix Da Housecat, as well as local talents Mr. Nasty and GuruGuru, Phil K. Lee, and Terence C!

Music Conference ASIA is so epic, this 2013 installment is all set to be history in the making! Festival ticket includes admission to the conference event and will be available for RM109 (early bird) and RM129 (presale) soon at all AirAsia RedTix counters and online. VIP tickets will be announced soon.

Venue: Sepang International Circuit, Sepang.

The Music Conference ASIA 2013 event schedule and Global Sound System set times will be announced prior to the event date.

For latest news and updates, hit up their website, Facebook page, or get ’em while its hot via their Twitter account.


Malaysian Grumpy Comedian Kavin Jay Will Be Touring 8 Cities Across Malaysia This August

Malaysian grumpiest comedian Kavin Jay will be touring the nation this year for his first ever solo tour!

The 38-year-old stand-up comedian is one of the two Malaysians who owns his very own special on Netflix (the other is Harith Iskandar, just in case you didn’t know), which received positive response from international critics.

Following the positive reception, the easily irritated comedian who has been in the local scene for more than 10 years, is excited to bring his “Kavin Jay: Anger Management” tour to eight cities across Malaysia this coming August!

Through his tour, Kavin who is known for his temper and his tendency to always complaining about everything just so we don’t have to – will be teaching us about how to manage and control anger by sharing his experience and the bad choices he made in life.

According to Kavin, the tour will feature new and never-seen-or-heard-before materials  and he will be joined by rising local stand-ups Papi Zak and Brian Tan.

Set to take place from 3rd to 18th August 2018 at 9.30pm, Kavin will be performing his shows live in TGV cinemas all around Malaysia, making it the first time for a Malaysian cinema to host a live comedy tour.

Dates and locations for the Kavin Jay: Anger Management tour are as below:

Early bird tickets are now available at TGV site. The programme begins at 9:30pm and the ticket price is RM98 (VIP) and RM78 (Standard) with complimentary regular popcorn combo. Maybank card holders get to enjoy a flat rate of RM70 for both seats (VIP & Standard) with complimentary regular popcorn combo as well.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


From Longines To Diamond & Platinum: This Week’s Dope New Fashion Drops You Gotta Cop!

With another week upon us, it’s time to take a look at the latest fashion drops! From ALDO to Coach, here are the hottest fashion releases you need to cop:

Skechers has teamed up with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to celebrate the American film and entertainment studio’s 100th year milestone, with the launch of the Skechers X Warner Bros! The limited-edition collection comprises tops, bottoms, and outerwear featuring well-known Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry cartoon characters which have travelled with the studio throughout the century.

Following the success of the Skechers X We Bare Bears collection in 2022, the Skechers X Warner Bros. WB100 collection also features everyone from iconic duos like Bugs Bunny and Lola Bunny, Sylvester and Tweety, to prominent rival characters like Daffy Duck, Tasmanian Devil, and Yosemite Sam.

The Skechers X Warner Bros. WB100 apparel collection will be available at selected Skechers stores.

ALDO has officially announced their first-ever collaboration with pop culture icon Barbie! The Barbie x ALDO limited-edition capsule collection, which will be available on June 29th, wonderfully encapsulates both companies’ fun-loving, inclusive, and fashion-forward character. The 19-piece limited-edition collection maximises Barbie’s fun, fearless, and iconic style with a selection of ladies’ footwear, purses, and accessories designed for playing in real life.

The nostalgic collection embraces brilliant monochromatic pink tones that are synonymous with the Barbie brand, adding a unique twist to the Barbiecore™ aesthetic. The collection incorporates Y2K motifs with ALDO’s traditional style and characteristic strong Barbie aesthetic, resulting in a distinct look that highlights the best of both beloved brands.

The Barbie x ALDO Collection will be available for purchase on June 29th, in-store at ALDO Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

Longines has added a new chapter to its already rich history with the release of the 2022 Longines Spirit Zulu Time, a fresh rendition of the much-loved watch. The new watch, with its stainless steel 39mm casing, is an ideal complement to its larger sibling. The new model’s subtle measurements add to wearer comfort: it measures 21mm from lug to lug, and the case is 13.5mm thick. The new Longines Spirit Zulu Time models come in matte black, sandblasted anthracite, or sunray blue dials with a date window at the 6 o’clock position and a bezel with a coloured ceramic insert.

Discover more about the new Longines Spirit Zulu Time here.

Valentino Garavani’s aesthetic history meets exquisite Japanese workmanship for a new accessory collaboration between Valentino Garavani and PORTER. At its heart, the collaboration is a dialogue between various codes and traditions, ideas and iterations. Borrowing from each brand’s aesthetic codes, the collaboration bags were created around two creative pillars: a group of Valentino Garavani Loc bags with PORTER’s famed nylon applied to them, and a second group with the Toile Iconographe pattern printed atop iconic PORTER silhouettes.

For the collaboration, the contemporary Valentino Garavani Locò silhouette finds itself under the influence of PORTER’s always-practical, essentials-only design aesthetic. PORTER’s nylon is imagined in a range of hues from black and khaki to bordeaux, yellow and mint green, while the four traditional PORTER styles are given a Maison makeover.

In keeping with the capsule’s commitment to quality, all pieces are entirely made in Japan, following rigorous design and construction standards. To complement each bag, a special dust bag has been rendered in Valentino’s classic Rosso hue and dons each brand’s iconic logo side by side.

Coach has debuted fashion designer and creative director Stuart Vevers’ Winter 2023 collection, the next chapter of his vision of Coach’s American heritage seen through the lens of youth counterculture. The collection also debuts “The Lil Nas X Drop,” an edit featuring pieces designed by Coach, and curated by the one and only Lil Nas X!

Coach Winter 2023 features a whimsical mashup of leatherware and underground party references, as well as new items made from reinvented or reused materials. It juxtaposes American icons like leather biker and shearling jackets with tees, sweatshirts, and bags with youthful acid prints and electric colours that suggest rave culture, as well as an archival Bonnie Cashin leopard print recontextualized for today. Coach took inspiration from Lil Nas X’s individual style and sense of colour to create the collection’s vibe. Vevers then collaborated with the artist to choose and customise his favourite pieces, which included pop-colored shearling jackets, artwork inspired by concert merchandise, and an American varsity jacket personalised with patches.

Diamond & Platinum has unveiled its Spring Summer 2023 collection, featuring diamonds and exquisite fancy sapphires in an array of colours, expertly crafted into unique and captivating designs that are sure to turn heads.

The collection features the Lunaria Diamon Series, Flare Dazzle Fancy Sapphire Bracelets, Flare Intertwined Fancy Sapphire Rings, and Moonfire Ruby Diamond Bangle. It is inspired by nature’s vibrant colours, with a concentration on bold and bright hues that reflect the energetic spirit of the season. From craftsmanship to alchemy, each piece in the collection is a work of beauty in its own right, enhanced by their characteristic golden trademarks.

UNIQLO has announced their latest drop of selected items worn by professional golfer and UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassador Adam Scott during the tournaments held from April 2023. These items were worn during the 2023 Masters Tournament held in April (Georgia, United States), and the 2023 PGA Championship held in May (New York, United States). The collection includes the exceptionally quick-drying DRY-EX Polo Shirt and newly-designed AirSense pants jointly developed by UNIQLO and Toray, based on Adam’s professional insight, and combining lightweight design, stretchability, and quick-drying functionality.

The collection will be available at select UNIQLO stores and uniqlo.com starting June 26, 2023.

Inspired by the stunning natural hues of the earth, Carlo Rino recently unveiled its latest collection – the Recycle Collection – Vearth Series. Influenced by the breathtaking hues of nature, the chic and sustainable shoulder bags are designed to make a statement while taking a step towards a better planet. Each bag is made with recycled materials and is available in five stunning colours that embody the beauty of the earth’s natural elements: White for Sands, Grey for Stones, Green for Trees, Pink for Blossoms, and Brown for Wood. The Vearth Series features the triangle-shaped tag boldly stating “reuse, reduce, recycle” and symbolizing the collection’s sustainability initiative.

The Vearth Series Collection will be available at www.carlorino.net and at Carlo Rino boutiques, nationwide and major departmental stores.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#WorldCup: Is FIFA Really This Corrupted?

Sure, the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil is over, but it hasn’t pulled the brakes for some trends and strange findings.

There was a flurry of excitement on Twitter this morning not just because #GER bagged the World Cup 2014 trophy during the #GERvARG final, but also because a Twitter account called, “FIFA Corruption” (@FifNdhs) seemingly predicted the end result of the World Cup final hours ahead of time. The account even went into describing the defining moment in the final match, where German midfielder Mario Goetze scored the game’s only goal in the 113th minute aka “ET” aka “extra time”.

Needless to say, “FIFA Corruption” gained thousands of followers, as many as over 42,000 followers, since Goetza’s goal. About 14 hours before the final started, it posted a number of tweets which seemed to predict the correct outcome. Word for word, play by play.

It has been debunked, peeps, and it took almost no time for Twitter user Suresh Nakhua to tweet the following evidence of its falsity. As follows:

The account actually tweeted every possible scenario ahead of time, then retrospectively deleted all of the incorrect ones. Luckily, Suresh Nakhua managed to screenshot a bunch of the tweets before they were purged.

Nice try, fake Twitter account. We almost fell for it. Just like how we almost fell for this other hoax.


#AirAsia: Miri – Penang Route Suspended Beginning 2nd March

AirAsia is stopping its 4-time weekly flights between Miri and Penang. The airline said the decision was made after careful consideration, according to The Borneo Post.

In an e-mailed statement, AirAsia said, “AirAsia regrets to inform that after careful consideration, the airline will be withdrawing the four-time weekly flights between Miri and Penang. The route commenced operations in March 2014, and has an average load of below 65 per cent throughout this duration. Efforts have been taken to keep the sustainability of this route. However, due to commercial reasons, AirAsia has to withdraw from this route.”

However, the airline assured all that it would continue to re-evaluate the opportunities to reinstate the flight as the operator of this exclusive route.

“Guests affected by the withdrawal of this route will be offered options to alleviate any inconvenience that might occur and each affected guest will be notified via their registered email account, as well as an SMS notification of the route withdrawal. The flights affected are Miri-Penang, Penang-Miri — AK5527 and AK5528,” AirAsia added.

All affected passengers are advised to keep their e-mail addresses and mobile numbers with their country code prefix updated in their AirAsia member profiles to ensure that the airline could reach and assist them. Alternatively, passengers can also get in touch with AirAsia’s Customer Care here.

The AirAsia Miri – Penang route will cease operations beginning 2nd March.

Sources: The Borneo Post, New Sarawak Tribune / Featured image from Straits Times.


Smash Presents Jordy Dazz Live At Zouk KL

College dropout turned standard setting beacon to 21st century club music, Jordy Dazz has overcome and conquered a long and winding road to his global success. Championed by the legendary Tiësto and current world number #1 DJ Hardwell, Jordy Dazz’s rigorous story of passion, persistence and organic nature have made him an unlikely success story to bless the modern Dance overhaul.

Fuelled by an infatuation for music and his early aspirations as a drummer, it quickly became obvious that college could not cater right for his overarching ambitions. Jordy opted for an early career in one of Holland’s few independent vinyl record stores over the realms of mainstream education. He mastered his craft through day-to-day analysis of the progressions and trends in Electronic music.

Jordy was 15-year-old when he sported his first DJ set. His approach to live dance music has proven just as testing as the road by which he entered. Now heralding more than a decade behind the decks, his journey from shop floor to the global clubbing circuit has not been without its trials nor has it been an easy one.

Currently, reigning in sets at Privilege Ibiza and Holland’s Heineken Music Hall alongside Tiësto as well as some of the finest nightspots across Europe and Canada, Jordy has encompassed an old school dexterity for the new age masses that now call upon his skills on the decks.

That style, character and neck energy has not gone to waste within his personal reign upon the club floor and digital market alike. Championed by Hardwell’s Revealed Recordings imprint and Bingo Player’s Hysteria label, such explosive releases as ‘OMG’, collaborative favorite ‘Fuego’ with DANNIC, Beatport top 10 ‘Claymore’ and ‘Drum Fail’ alongside Mightyfools continue to muster considerable belief across the globe in his unique yet coherent fusion of rhythmic Electro and peak time House music.

This Friday, brought to you by Smash and supported by local hero Nick Haydez, Jordy Dazz will be taking over Mainroom, Zouk Club KL for one night and one night only.

Ticket Entry: RM35 before 11pm (Men/Ladies) (inc 1 drink) / RM50 after 11pm (Men/Ladies) (inc 1 drink)

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

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#Instagram: Now, You Can Be Typo-Free Because Caption Editing Feature

Everyone, the day you’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. It’s today, and it’s going to put sliced bread to shame. Because Instagram just announced a new feature that you, we, everybody who’s anybody who has Instagram has been begging for, for as long as we can remember!

We can’t deny that typos are embarrassing. Even more so when we don’t have the option to edit it before anyone else sees it! And who really wants to go through the hassle of deleting and re-uploading the picture again? Or leave a jarring typo correction comment below a picture? We know, we know, trust us, we’ve been there.

But before you die in shame over a typo and decide to move out of planet Earth because you accidentally said “Going to divorce” instead of “Going to Disney” in your Instagram caption, you’d be pleased to know that you can just edit it, Yuh huh, the photo-sharing social media platform has finally rolled out a feature that should’ve been there since day one.

They made the announcement on their blog, which read:

Today, we’re pleased to announce a bundle of updates and improvements designed to help you discover more on Instagram.

In this update, we’re continuing to improve the Explore page on Instagram by making it faster to find people you want to follow. With this in mind, you’ll see that the Explore icon at the bottom of your screen has changed to a magnifying glass. When you open Explore, you’ll now see two tabs: Photos and People. The Photos tab has not changed. It contains the same scrolling grid of photos and videos you already know. The new People tab highlights interesting accounts for you to discover.

In addition to the updates to Explore, we’ve added the ability to go back and edit captions on your posts. When you share a moment to Instagram, a typo shouldn’t get in the way. This has been one of the top requests that we’ve heard from the community, and we’re excited to finally bring it to you today. You’ll find a new “Edit” option in the menu beneath your image. Tap it to edit your caption.

Bring out the champagne, it’s time to celebrate a typo-free Instagram life :D

To learn more about these new changes, check out help.instagram.com.

Instagram for iOS version 6.2 is available today in Apple’s App Store, and Instagram for Android version 6.10 is available today on Google Play.


Hype’s Now Playing: Major Lazer ft Ellie Goulding & Tarrus Riley – Powerful

Major Lazer’s latest release sure is powerful!

In March, Diplo, Jillionaire and Walshy Fire, known together as Major Lazer announced the release of their third album “Peace Is The Mission” which featured a star-studded lineup including Ellie Goulding, Madonna, Gwen Stefani and more. The album, which was released on June 1st also includes the smash hit “Lean On” featuring DJ Snake and MØ.

Today, after much anticipation, the music video for “Powerful”, a collaboration with Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley has been released and boy, it sure is powerful! Featuring a smooth, soothing vibe but also hard hitting beats, the track truly showcases the versatility and strength of Ellie’s vocals which matches perfectly with Tarrus’ vocals.

Directed by James Slater, the video opens with Ellie sitting in a diner where she displays telekinetic powers before it moves on to focus on Tarrus who also shares the same powers. Together, the duo stir up a storm in the diner before driving off to infinity.

Also featuring mini cameos of Major Lazer appearing on a blurry Television screen, “Powerful” is bound to be another hit by Major Lazer.

Check out the gorgeous video for “Powerful” below.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Malaysia Airlines Named Best Airline In Asia At ITB Berlin

Malaysia Airlines has been named the Best Airline in Asia at this year’s International Council of Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) International Travel Awards at ITB Berlin.

The annual awards recognise individuals and organisations that have excelled in promoting tourism from different sectors of the travel trade such as aviation, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, destinations, government bodies, tourism ministries, and others.

A post shared by Malaysia Airlines Berhad (@malaysiaairlines)

The PATWA have earned a reputation as one of the most coveted and sought after awards of the travel trade and are now in their 18th year since they were incepted in 1999.

Malaysia Airlines Group CEO Izham Ismail said the award is dedicated to its employees who focus on delivering a world-class travel experience for its passengers every day, Bernama reports.

“It is testament to our commitment to offering passengers a fantastic experience both in the air and on the ground,” he said in a statement.

As a way to express gratitude to its loyal customers, Malaysia Airlines will be offering 25% off on fares to selected destinations including Hong Kong, Phnom Penh and Sydney. The offer is valid until midnight 12th March 2019 for travel between now and 31st March 2019.

Guests can book their flight tickets via www.malaysiaairlines.com.


#TobaccoBill: Health Ministry Bills To Raise Legal Smoking Age To 21

In an effort to promote healthy lifestyle, the Health Ministry in Malaysia is reportedly drafting a new tobacco bill to fight against smoking.

According to local daily New Straits Times (NST), the new bill includes a request to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21 and a ban on displaying displaying tobacco products. The bill drafted also includes a ban on smoking in vehicles with a minor/minors inside.

An unnamed ministry official told NST that “tougher measures would be proposed in the bill” to help regulate tobacco use among Malaysians, especially the younger generation.

The ministry has, in fact, been lobbying for a tobacco act since 2005, when Malaysia became a party to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention for Tobacco Control on Dec 15, 2005.

“A draft of the tobacco act has actually been prepared since 2009. Unfortunately, it was not tabled in Parliament due to some circumstances,” the official said, adding that the ministry already renewed its efforts to table the bill last year.

In addition to the report, the official stated that smoking among the younger generation was a growing concern as most teenagers and youths start smoking before the age of 21.

She said that some Malaysian children have tried or even started smoking before the age of 13, according to a study conducted by the National Poison Centre and Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance. The English daily further supported her statement by citing that the Global School-Based Student Health Survey 2012 in Malaysia showed that 71% of teenagers who smoke had tried a cigarette before the age of 14.

However, without citing any report to support the statement, the official said, “Increasing the age of sale to 21 will reduce tobacco use among teens and youths, at a time when nearly all of them begin their smoking habit.”

According to a research, more than 90% of adult smokers began smoking in their teens or younger. After speaking with some medical practitioners, NST learnt that those who started smoking at a young age will most likely to continue as adults. They eventually become the heaviest tobacco users. With the bill drafted, the Health Ministry hopes that it’ll prevent the numbers of teen smoking will drop.

“Generally, it is the willpower and proper treatment of addiction that lead smokers to quit,” she said, adding that young smokes should seek advice from school counsellors or medical professionals. She added, “Once you are in the last stage of quitting, keep away from smokers. Learn to say “no” to any offer of cigarettes from friends.”

Malaysia isn’t the first country to have proposed to set the legal smoking age at 21. Kuwait, Honduras and Sri Lanka are among the countries that have made it illegal to sell or give tobacco products to anyone below age 21. However, it is unclear whether it has helped reduce the number of teenage smokers. It was also reported that Hawaii would become the first state in the US to raise its smoking age to 21 next year due to the increase of high school students becoming addicted to nicotine.

What do you think of the new tobacco bill? Do you support it? Sound off your thoughts in the comments box below.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Hype’s Exclusive: You Me At Six Is All Set To Rock Kuala Lumpur

The boys of You Me At Six are in town!!!

Made up of Josh Franceschi, Max Helyer, Matt Barnes, Chris Miller and Dan Flint Five the piece alternative, pop rock band from Weybridge, Surrey, You Me At Six are in Kuala Lumpur guys!! Formed in 2004, the band shot to fame in 2008 with their debut single Take Off Your Colours which includes singles “Save It For The Bedroom”, “Finders Keepers” and “Kiss and Tell”.

Following the success of their debut album, You Me At Six released their second studio album Hold Me Down in January 2010. The album reached number #5 in the UK and singles from this album include “Underdog”, “Liquid Confidence” and “Stay With Me”. Their third album, Sinners Never Sleep, was release in the UK in October 2011 and in January 2014, the band released their fourth studio album, Cavalier Youth.

Currently on tour, You Me At Six will be performing for the first time ever in Malaysia at KL Live tonight (September 2nd). Thanks to our buddies from Livescape Asia, we managed to catch up with Josh Franceschi and Max Helyer this morning. Here’s what the two hotties had to say:

Hype.My: Hey guys! You guys arrived yesterday, yes? How do you guys like KL so far?

Max: Yeah, we did. We managed to get some good food and did some sightseeing last night. We also danced for like 4 hours straight and woke up with a massive headache this morning. Hahaha. So yeah, I’d say we had a good time.

Josh: I’m surprised we’re constructing sentences to be honest. I was kinda upset that we left but they closed so yeah.

Hype.My: Haha. Glad to hear you’re liking KL! What do you enjoy most about touring?

Max: Seeing new places, meeting new people and playing shows. I think we’ve met some great people by doing this and some of these people I’ve met have become some of my best friends.

Josh: Yeah apart from seeing new places, playing shows and meeting new people, I enjoy being able to introduce myself to new cultures around the world. We use the band as a platform to see the world so it’s really cool.

Hype.My: You guys travel quite a fair bit, so how do you juggle touring and your personal lives?

Max: We don’t really. It’s a realisation that you’re going away for a long time and I think some people can handle it and some people can’t, you know? Especially with family, I think they find it a bit strange sometimes when we walk out the front door. Like for me, when I left home I didn’t see my dad. I saw my mom and she was like “not going to see you for ages so pep talk. Here you go, look after yourself, make sure you have fun and come back with good stories because I’ll look forward to them.” I think we’re lucky that we have good families. Families that would rather not have us around all the time but they know that we are doing something with our lives and that we’re happy. We just have to enjoy every moment we can.

Josh: Yeah, I was going to say that my personal live is becoming less and less important or less and less valued really. Not in like a boo hoo sort of way but it’s difficult because we’re older now. Now that we’re a bit older, all of my friends have like proper jobs and proper girlfriends and I’m the guy from that band that comes home for like half a year or leaves home for half a year. The true friends have stuck around but in terms of family and girlfriends, it is difficult because it’s like I’m asking them to pause their lives or be flexible to what I need and I want. Being away makes me appreciate being with family as much as I can.

Hype.My: I can only imagine how that must be like. You recently released your fourth album, Cavalier Youth. What would you say is different about this album as compared to your previous works?

Max: We spent a lot more time writing it. I think we spent about 2 years writing it because we wrote it in between tours and stuff. Yeah, the really big difference I would say is the time we spent on the album. We got to go to this place called the Doghouse in the UK and we spent a week at this place. A week just to write music and get engrossed in what we wanted our record to be about.

Hype.My: Are there any particular songs on the new record that stand out more than others for the band?

Josh: Personally, “Forgive and Forget” is the one I enjoy playing the most. I think the whole album works better as a body of work so it’s quite difficult to pick out certain songs but I like “Forgive and Forget” and “Room To Breathe”.

Max: Yeah, I was going to say those two songs also because it shows two different sides of our band. “Room To Breathe” just kind of fell to place but “Forgive and Forget” was all trial and error. We couldn’t figure out the parts of the song until we were actually in the studio and it was one of the most challenging songs for us to write as a band because it’s something we’ve never done before but we were really happy with the end product.

Hype.My: Is there a particular role that each of you play when it comes to making an album?

Josh: I think Max has a got a very focus approach when we are making a record. He will lead the way in terms that he’s always in the studio. For the most part, I’m the exact opposite because I would rather come in to the studio when it’s basically done so I can sing on it. But I would say each song is different because each track requires different attention and care.

Max: I think we all have different roles. We each have our own opinions and the way we did this record was that we started with drums then guitars then bass and then vocals. There’s no real leader, it’s just us five and the producers and that’s it, you know? I think that’s why we make good albums because we work very well together, we all bring different opinions, we all bring different ideas and we work well together.

Hype.My: Cool. Are you excited to be playing in KL tonight?

Max: Oh very much so! It’s our first time in KL and we can’t wait to see which song gets the most cheers and which doesn’t. We’re quite nervous but super excited at the same time.

Josh: Yeah every much. KL is new, it’s our first time so yes, very excited!

Hype.My: Okay last one. If you had to, which would you give up, food or hearing?

Max: Food, definitely. You can live on a liquid diet, right? Haha

It was such a pleasure talking to Josh and Max of You Me At Six. Down-to-earth, charming and not to mention, totes hotties, don’t forget to catch You Me At Six live at KL Live tonight.

Here’s Fresh Start Fever to get you all pumped out for tonight! Enjoy!

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


80-Year-Old Scales Mount Everest, Sets Record

An 80-year-old Japanese climber reached the summit of Mount Everest on Thursday, becoming the oldest person to scale the world’s highest mountain, his website and a Nepalese official said.

Yuichiro Miura and his party arrived at the summit at around 9am (0315 GMT), according to the website. Until Thursday morning, the Nepalese had been the world record holder, according to Guinness World Records. Upon achieving his goal, Miura said:

I feel like the happiest person in the world. How could I have come so far at the world’s oldest age of 80. I have never felt like this in my life. But I’ve never been more exhausted than this. I can see the scenery of the Himalayas below me. I really thank every one of you for your support.

It was his third conquest of the 8,848-metre (29,028-foot) peak, and his latest feat means he recaptures the record he previously held for being the oldest person to climb Everest. He previously reached the summit when he was 70 and 75. His 2003 record was broken in 2007 when fellow Japanese Katsusuke Yanagisawa scaled the summit when he was 71 years old.

Miura conquered Everest for the second time in May 2008, just one day after Nepal’s Min Bahadur Sherchan made it to the top at the age of 76.

Miura was now climbing back down the mountain, a Nepalese tourism official said, confirming the successful ascent. “He reached the summit this morning and is currently descending to camp four”, the official, Gyanendra Shrestha, told AFP from Everest Base Camp.


Justin Bieber In A Drug Bust?

Just when you thought the worst was over for teen pop sensation Justin Bieber, he manages to lodge himself across all major news’ headlines again. The artiste, is currently on his European tour is caught up in reports of a drug bust. Yes, drugs.

According to the AP, a Swedish police spokesman said officers found a modest stash of drugs and a stun gun on his tour bus, which was parked in Stockholm during his concert there yesterday. The police apparently searched the bus after catching a whiff of marijuana from inside. But this doesn’t mean that it was Justin who was smoking it. In fact, no one has been arrested and there are currently no suspects. They didn’t even confirmed that the drug was marijuana as it’s still pending the results of a laboratory analysis.

Of course, this doesn’t come easy on Justin at all, having being photographed smoking something questionable in January. And just in case you’re wondering if he caught a whiff about this shocking piece of news or if he has gone on yet another rant, Justin has already spoken out on Twitter about this:

Poor boy. Seriously though, Justin? Drugs?


UPDATE: Fire At One Utama Shopping Mall

Around 9:30am this morning, it was reported that a minor fire broke out at One Utama Shopping Centre at Bandar Utama.

Various sources reported seeing smoke emerge from the shopping mall this morning when they were on the LDP. From the picture, it looks like the fire broke out at One Utama’s new wing. The fire was seen from afar as well. The actual cause of the fire is not known yet but so far there has been no reports of any injury or major damage to the building. However, the fire caused a minor traffic jam at Bandar Utama too.

This is not the first time that the mall caught fire as earlier last year a minor fire broke out in the One Utama Shopping Centre due to abrupt power outage. No further information has been released about the fire yet but we will keep you updated when we know!

A source has informed us that the fire has since been put out. Citing Damansara Bomba, it was also confirmed that there were no casualties (thank goodness!) and that the fire was pretty minor. The reason for the smoke was because it came from an oil-coated kitchen exhaust in the food court.

On top of that, the mall has also released an official statement here:

Guys, it’s all under control! And if you were worried that Camp 5 would be affected, well, worry no more.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Caprice Reacts To Ebit Lew’s Right-Hand Man Cutting Ties With The Preacher

The bad blood between Caprice and Ebit Lew seems far from over! The former has been posting some shocking revelations about the Muslim preacher for quite some time.

Last night, Caprice uploaded a few screenshots taken from Ebit’s “right-hand man”, Ajai Ahmad’s Instagram Stories. As seen in the post, it appears that he had decided to cut all ties with him.

“Goodbye Ebit Lew. You’ve touched (messed with) my family. You’re going to regret it,” Ajai’s cryptic post reads. In response to that, Caprice wrote, “Praise be to God. After two years, the prayers of the oppressed people are finally coming out. I’m very proud of you, bro, for being this brave. Please tell Ebit Lew’s bodyguard that he won’t dare to touch me. So, it’s better for us to meet face-to-face to settle this matter once and for all.”

Ajai later took to his Instagram to issue his response to the “Abang Nak Tegur” rapper’s post on social media. “We are all the same, we are all sinners. Regarding my issue with Ebit Lew, let us settle that as brothers. Thanks for your concern,” he wrote on his IG Story. “Let’s catch up for ‘yam cha’ session soon,” to which Caprice replied, “See you soon brother.”

For those in the dark, you can catch up on the history of Caprice’s supposed feud with Ebit Lew here.


Opening Act: Some Dreams You Don’t See Coming

It’s every young artist’s dream to have that big break and perform before a huge crowd.  Watch all the drama unfold in E!’s latest reality talent show, “Opening Act“, premiering on 23rd September 2012 (Sunday) at 10pm.

Produced by Nigel Lythgoe (the executive producer of hit TV shows American Idol and “So You Think You Can Dance?”), Opening Act features a star-studded panel of pop stars like Grammy winner Mary J. Blige, songwriter Antonina Armato, Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz and country diva Martina McBride as they comb the Internet for talented amateurs.

The lucky ones to be picked get to perform as opening act for such artists as Nicki Minaj, LMFAO, Gym Class Heroes, Jason Mraz and more.

But there’s a catch: The artists only have five days to prepare for the gig that could change their lives forever.  With no auditions to pass, judges to please or votes to be won, everyone’s a winner.

[youtube id=”mTM6SwgE8Ps” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Watch as these brilliant new discoveries try to chart their destiny to entertainment popularity in the revolutionary new talent show Opening Act, exclusively on E! (Astro Channel 712).


Malaysia’s Drama Band Mocks Local Celebrities In New Music Video?

Malaysian rock outfit Drama Band’s new music video for their latest song “Drama” have been labeled as many by netizens – bold, honest, hilarious, rude, cheap, insensitive and many more.

This is because, the video seems to be making fun of several known local celebrities in Malaysia including Haqiem Rusli, Nabila Razali, Haneesya Hani, and Ernisha.

Before the MV starts, the band has already clarified that the characters in the video are mere creations and have nothing to do with real-life individuals, but many people think otherwise.

Some of the issues highlighted in the MV include Haqiem Rusli’s depression case, Nabila Razali’s breakup with Aedy Ashraf, and Dewi Remaja’s controversy involving Haneesya Hani and Ernisha.

Though many have complimented the video for its catchy music as well as its honest and bold approach, not everyone is a fan. Some viewed the video as disrespectful and insensitive, saying that it’s a cheap marketing ploy using other celebrities’ fame as a channel.

Former titleholder of Dewi Remaja Haneesya Hani has also voiced out her frustration regarding the video saying that “it’s not even funny”, adding “I hope your band get all the attention you need.”

Meanwhile, Haqiem Rusli has been taking it quite positively as he believed that there may be a reason why the MV is made this way. “Be it good or bad, I take the advice with an open heart.”

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


“1-Cent Thief” Aman Shah Makes Headlines Again With New Interview

If you are in your mid-20s and above, you might have heard of the name Aman Shah before.

The story of the former bank officer’s involvement in the criminal breach of trust caused a massive stir among Malaysians back in 1990. It’s no surprise that even to this day, many people are still buzzing about it.

Known as the notorious “1-cent thief”, Aman Shah recently made an appearance in an interview with Utusan Malaysia. The session with the 54-year-old tech expert was divided into two parts. In the first article titled “Sistem Bank Malaysia Tidak Selamat (Malaysian Bank System Is Not Safe)“, Aman Shah gave his two cents on the security of the banking system in the country.

Among the topics discussed by Aman Shah during the chat include the weakness of the local banking system, which allows hackers to bypass it. Additionally, he also touched on the system used by some banks in Malaysia. As pointed out by the accounting graduate, most of them have been copying and pasting the system from the previous ones.

In the second part of the interview, Aman Shah talked more about the aforementioned copy and paste system. “This is the first time I’m sharing this story with everyone. Throughout the 30 years since 1990, people have been meeting me and asking about the incident, but I ignored them. Now, you guys are the first ones to hear about this,” he wrote, shedding some light on his infamous crime.

Based on our checking, the first interview is accessible to the public and is not restricted to registered subscribers of the publication only. While for the second piece, readers are required to log in to their Utusan Digital account.

Sources: Utusan Malaysia (1)(2), Iluminasi.


South Korean Actor Nam Joo-hyuk Adds Malaysia In Fanmeeting Tour

South Korean heartthrob Nam Joo-hyuk will be returning to Malaysia once again this March for a special fanmeeting session with his Malaysian fans.

The 24-year-old actor known for his role in “The Bride of Habaek” will be arriving in Malaysia on 23rd March 2019 – exactly one week before another Korean heartthrob Park Bo-gum arrive in Malaysia.

Other than Malaysia, the actor and model will also visit Hong Kong, Bangkok and Taipei for his 2019 Nam Joo Hyuk Fanmeeting <Current> tour. The last time Nam came to Malaysia was back in 2017, which also marked his first overseas tour in Asia.

Nam made his modelling debut in 2013 and his acting debut in 2014 via a supporting role in the tvN drama “The Idle Mermaid”. He started to gain popularity after starring in the teen drama “Who Are You: School 2015”.

The details to Nam Joo-hyuk’s fanmeet “Current” Live in Malaysia are as follows:

Tickets will go on sale via ticket2u.com.my on 11th February 2019, from 10am onwards.


#Toll: PLUS Offering 30% Toll Rebate For Hari Raya 2017

Good news drivers, toll rates will be cheaper to coincide with the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays.

For a total of 6 days (19th – 21st and 28th – 29th June as well as 3rd July), highway operator PLUS will be offering up to 30% toll rebate for the next 2 weeks.

“It is part of an effort to distribute traffic during festive season and at the same time, reward our customers for their continuous support. The toll rebate is also offered in conjunction with the implementation of the full electronic toll transactions on all PLUS-operated highways since 26th April,” PLUS MD Datuk Azman Ismail was quoted as saying.

In addition, Touch n Go users will also receive a 10% toll rebate when traveling on the aforementioned dates. “The 30% toll rebate for transactions via PLUSMiles cards is aimed at rewarding PLUSMiles loyal customers for their support. The 10% toll rebate, on the other hand, is given for electronic toll transactions via normal Touch n Go cards,” Azman explained.

Do keep in mind that motorists are still required to pay tolls in full during those dates. The 30% and 10% toll rebates will be credited into the cards when drivers top up at all PLUS customer service centres from 15th July till 14th October.

However, toll rebates are not applicable if payments are made these following toll plazas:

To keep up with the annual tradition, PLUS has also rolled out a travel time advisory (TTA) for the public in order to plan their journey in a timely manner. The intention is to distribute traffic during peak travel dates.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#SMEntertainment: Agency Says Siwon & Changmin Requested To Enlist Quietly

We’re approaching mid November and the clocks are a-tickin’. This means that it’s almost time for 2 more SM Entertainment idols to enlist in the mandatory South Korean army training too.

But, unlike the fanfare that Super Junior’s Eunhyuk received during his enlistment last month, fellow Super Junior member Choi Siwon as well as TVXQ!’s Changmin have chosen to go quietly.

According to soompi, both Siwon and Changmin are due to enlist on 19th November. SM Entertainment released an official statement just today (Friday, 13th November) to say that the idols have requested for a quiet affair.

Choi Siwon and Changmin will be enlisting without a press conference for fans and reporters. Both have expressed their desires to enlist quietly, so we ask that you respect their decision and not mistake it for a schedule.

Siwon and Changmin will first go through their basic military training before serving as conscripted police officers for 21 months.

The other SM Entertainment idols who are currently serving time in the army are such as TVXQ!’s Yunho, Super Junior’s Donghae, and Super Junior’s Eunhyuk.


All You Need To Know About The MRT Putrajaya Line Phase 1 When It Launches In June

It’s been a long time coming but the MRT Putrajaya Line Phase 1 will be opening very soon. Previously, the project was actually expected to open some time in November of last year but operation was apparently delayed.

But the wait will soon be over as Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) recently announced that the Putrajaya Line Phase 1 will be launching on 16th June of this year. Before we step into this new phase, here’s all we know about the project:

📰Siaran Media: FASA SATU MRT LALUAN PUTRAJAYA BAKAL DIBUKA NOVEMBER 2021Pindaan tarikh disebabkan lanjutan tempoh operasi percubaan akibat PKP 3.0 and PKPD➡https://t.co/0LbLESs4rF#LindungDiriLindungSemua#MenangBersama pic.twitter.com/zMnbnSCONx

As seen in the tweet above, MRT Corp released a media statement in July 2021 announcing that the Putrajaya Line Phase 1 is expected to be operational in November later that year. However, the project was then postponed (for the second time) due to incomplete activities during the trial operations.

MRT Corp posted on their official Facebook yesterday (Tuesday, 24th May) sharing the news that the long awaited Putrajaya Line Phase 1 will finally open on 16th June. There will be a total of 36 stations involved for this line but only 12 will be open for Phase 1 which are:

Based on previously released information, the soon-to-be launched Putrajaya Line will provide MRT passengers a seamless transfer to the MRT Kajang Line at Kwasa Damansara station. In terms of public transportation, feeder buses and GoKL buses will be available at Kampung Batu station.

Once Phase 1 is in full swing and if all goes according to schedule, Phase 2 is expected to operate some time in January of 2023. For more information on the Putrajaya Line project, you can visit the MRT Corp website. Are you guys looking forward to the opening of the new Putrajaya Line?

Sources: MRT Corp (1)(2), FreeMalaysiaToday


#Tangerine: The Movie That Was Shot Entirely With The iPhone 5S

One of the breakout hits from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, independent comedy-drama film “Tangerine”, is apparently full of surprises.

First of all, director Sean S. Baker said that he was inspired to make the film by a donut shop near his home in Hollywood. Secondly, the movie centres on a story about transgender prostitutes working in a not-so glamorous part of Hollywood.

On Christmas Eve, transgender prostitute Sin-Dee Rella, who has just finished a prison sentence, meets her friend Alexandra, who is also a transgender prostitute, at Donut Time. Alexandra informs Sin-Dee Rella that her boyfriend and pimp Chester has been cheating on her with a white cisgender woman. Outraged, Sin-Dee storms out of Donut Time to search the neighborhood for Chester and Dinah, the “fish” he has been sleeping with.

Oh, and thirdly, actresses Mya Taylor (who plays Alexandra) and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez (who plays Sin-Dee) had no major acting experience.

But perhaps what’s most interesting was the fact that the entire movie was shot on the iPhone 5S and an $8 app called Filmic Pro that allowed the filmmakers fine-grained control over the focus, aperture, and colour temperature. To be specific, “Tangerine” was shot with not one, not two, but 3 iPhone 5s smartphones.

Now, don’t get us wrong but while there have been plenty of films shot using iPhones, “Tangerine” was the first to play at Sundance Film Festival.

In fact, after making its debut at the festival, it went on to receive rave reviews, which led to Magnolia Pictures buying world rights to the film in January this year. According to The Verge, “Tangerine” will finally see a release in US theatres come 10th July in New York and Los Angeles, followed by a wider rollout.

If anything, this would probably lead to more indie projects to be filmed with iPhones.

Sources: The Verge (1), The Verge (2), Tangerine Wikipedia.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Asa Butterfield On Losing Spider-Man Role To Tom Holland

Back in 2015, Asa Butterfield was one of the top contenders to portray Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man – which eventually went to Tom Holland.

Fast forward 6 years later, the “Sex Education” star shares that he is no longer bitter about not getting picked – although it was heartbreaking at the time.

In speaking with Collider, the 23-year-old Brit recalled that he had an “entirely different” concept of Spider-Man compared to what Holland portrayed on the big screen. He even complimented Holland on bringing the beloved web-crawler to life.

“Every so often there’s a part (that you really want) and it’s a script you love, and you kind of put your heart and soul into it, and you don’t get it. And it is tough and it is shit, but I often find that something even better comes out of it at the end. And so in the case of Spider-Man, I did Sex Ed, because I wouldn’t have been able to do both of those at the same time,” he told the publication.

Butterfield continued, “I think as an actor and going out for roles, there’s only so much you can do and everyone’s gonna have a different take on a part and look at a character in different ways, have a different sort of performance, and you kind of have to stick with what you think. And if that isn’t necessary in line with what the director and the producers want, then it’s like, there’s nothing you can do about that.”

“You might just not be the right person, and that’s out of your hands. And that’s something I’ve learned, something that I think is great to help me kind of get over it. Because Tom did amazing things with Peter and he had an entirely different portrayal of him and I think it’s worked so well in the universe and in that part, and I don’t think I could do it. So I think all things work out in the end,” he added.

As someone pointed out, just because Butterfield didn’t score the role then, doesn’t mean he won’t join MCU in future projects.


Joe Flizzow & Yung Raja On Their Collab With Snoop Dogg

Joe Flizzow and Yung Raja are ending the year 2021 on a high note! The Def Jam South East Asia labelmates were recently revealed to have been included along with 48 other talented artistes around the globe in Snoop Dogg’s compilation album, “Algorithm (The Global Edition)”.

In the album, Flizzow (full name Johan Ishak) shows off his rapping skills on the track “Alright”, joining forces with Redman and Cleveland singer Nefertitti Avani, while Raja is featured in the song “Qualified”, alongside Larry June, October London and Snoop himself.

“To be honest, he just announced it. He listened to my track ‘Ciao’ featuring Jay Park and MK and he was standing up and dancing to it. When the team gave him a list of artists to work with, Snoop just said that he wanted to work with Joe Flizzow,” Joe revealed in an online press conference for the project which was held last week.

He added by saying, “I’m a huge Snoop Dogg fan. He’s the reason I started rapping. He’s been a role model to me since day one. I’ve been a fan since 1993. If you go through my photos as a teenager, I had three Snoop Dogg T-shirts, that I rotated every other day.”

“I probably wore those three T-shirts 180 days or 200 days – to the point where in my school, they used to call me ‘Joe Snoop’ because everybody would be like, ‘This kid doesn’t have other shirts to wear?’ So it was like a dream come true,” the award-winning star added, before revealing that he used to cover Snoop Dogg’s tracks at talent time and shows.

When asked about how this project with Snoop came about, Flizzow revealed, “I actually met him about 10 years ago, or maybe less, in Bangkok. I met him on two occasions. The first one was at a concert. They brought me backstage, and it was a quick one, we took a photo together.”

“After that, they were having sort of like a post-mortem organised by DJ Uno. At first, I wasn’t sure on whether I should go and meet him. However, I braved myself (to approach him). He’s like a big brother and he’s very friendly,” he said, adding that the legendary artiste also asked a lot about Malaysia during that meeting.

So what did this duo learn from the project with Snoop? The “Ciao” jam-maker, told us, “For me, I learnt to never give up on my dream. I dreamt of that moment like this, growing up as a hip-hop fan. This just brought me back to why I started doing this. It was never for the fancy dinners or the fancy clothes. It was for my love for hip-hop. I feel like it takes me back to when I was 14 or 15 years old when I first said that I wanted to become a rapper.”

The 26-year-old rapper chimed in by saying, “Similar to what Joe said, it’s like a reminder that anything is possible. If you set your eyes on the goal and are bold enough to dream it, it will come true. It’s just a reminder to have faith in your dreams and in yourselves. This is all it is. It’s nothing more than that, I feel.”

Watch the lyric videos for “Alright” and “Qualified” here:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#FMFA + #ASOT600KL Full Line-Up Announced!

The organizers of Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA), Future Entertainment Australia and Livescape Asia Sdn. Bhd. today announced its full line-up for the massive festival that is set to take place at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) from 15th to 16th March (Friday and Saturday) this year.

The festival this year is also one of the most diverse to date with a mash of musical genres that would cater to all types of music fans.

Additional names that were just included to the line-up adds to an already star-studded list announced back in November which includes the likes of The Prodigy, PSY, Rita Ora, Fun., The Temper Trap, Bloc Party, DJ Fresh and many more.

All of that in addition to Armin van Buuren’s the legendary “A State of Trance: 600 The Expedition World Tour”, which will be held on Day 1 of the Future Music Festival Asia 2013. Significantly, ASOT is one of the most popular radio mix shows on the planet and it is set to attract an estimated 20 million people across 26 countries worldwide tuning in live to the historic event on 15th March:

[youtube id=”vgDC5kvHRRU” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Armin van Buuren’s legendary 600th “A State of Trance: 600” (ASOT600) show will see a host acts handpicked by Armin such as, Aly & Fila, Ben Gold, Cosmic Gate, Super8 & Tab, and W&W share the stage with Armin van Buuren, the world’s #1 DJ himself.

For the festival this year, fans will be offered choices to purchase either single-day passes or a two-day weekend pass which will grant them access into both days of ASOT 600 & FMFA 2013. Fans are urged to purchase the remaining tickets which are sold at pre-sale value (priced between RM158 – RM238) as early as possible to avoid being disappointed.

Pre-sale tickets will be available for purchase till 14th March 2013 or while stocks last.

[youtube id=”Tr7GQmdOymQ” width=”600″ height=”350″]

The set times for BOTH DAYS of FMFA 2013 have been released! Thanks to our friends from Livescape Asia, of course. Here you go:

If you’re going to party hard, please don’t drive. If you don’t have a designated driver, then get a cab. Taxi Monger and FMFA have done a tie-in to ensure that everyone gets home safe and sound and more importantly, in one piece and alive.

The promotion will kick off tomorrow, 12th March 2013 (Tuesday). To access it, download the iOS or the Android app. Or hit up their website. If you’re lucky, you might get bumped up to VIP status at randomly.

You might also need to remember that although they are flat rate charges, a 50% surcharge is still applicable to all trips after 12 midnight for both nights.

For more information or to obtain updates on the festival, hit up their website or their Facebook page. For the deets on Armin van Buuren’s “A State of Trance 600: the Expedition World Tour”, click! Also, keep a close watch on Future Music Festival Asia’s Twitter account for more surprises.


Apple & National Geographic Recognises Malaysian Barista’s Talent For Photography

Young bloke Computational Mathematics graduate, Najmuddin Muif Zulkifli currently works as a barista at a cafe in Gong Badak, Terengganu. But this fellow Malaysian has something special going on for him.

The 26-year-old who hails from Terengganu is shown to have creative talent in taking pictures and recording videos. Moreover, he’s also attracted the attention of many social media users because of it. Not only that, but he’s gotten both Apple and National Geographic to share his works through their websites.

Muif started developing his hobby of taking pictures during his school days. The barista also studied Mathematics at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, and now works as a barista. Moreover, Muif would take pictures as a hobby just for his own self-enjoyment without any serious intentions. Basically, he does it for fun.

Regarding his background, Muif grew up in Pahang before moving back to his hometown in Terengganu with his family last year. Since then, he fell in love with the state. He also stated how Terengganu had many natural attractions such as beaches, islands, as well as waterfalls. For Muif, it felt very fulfilling living in such a natural and beautiful state.

Luckily enough, Muif was surrounded by friends who shared similar interests and were willing to travel around Terengganu to satisfy their shared passion. They would usually wake up as early as 3am to catch the sunrise and were willing to go hiking very early in the morning, indicating how persistent they were.

Naturally, as someone who loves taking photos of nature, Muif had to go through some challenges. For example, if the barista wanted to take photos underwater, he would have to risk it by diving.

The Terengganu local mentioned how happy he is whenever he receives positive reactions from netizens from his photos and videos on Instagram and TikTok. Thanks to their feedback, Muif expressed his gratitude towards the netizens who followed him on social media.

Additionally, he was shocked by how some people had no prior knowledge about the locations in Terengganu that were taken in his photos and videos. Through them, he’s able to share some knowledge about Malaysia and Terengganu to uninformed people who wish to know more.

Not only are Muif’s works well received among Malaysians, the barista has also garnered a large following from Thai and Canadian folks, who share a keen interest on the locations in his country and state. As a result, he feels a sense of pride just by introducing Terengganu to curious non-Malaysians.

More impressively, one of Muif’s works was chosen to be featured by Apple this year. The chosen work was a video Muif recorded in Bukit Marak which was then posted on the company’s Instagram page. That wasn’t the only accomplishment the 26-year-old achieved. In addition, Muif’s photo (taken in Langkawi) was also chosen and displayed by National Graphic on their website last year.

All the validation has only spurred Muif to up his game and we couldn’t be prouder of this Malaysian chap!

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Hype’s Must Watch: The Gallows

From New Line Cinema comes the horror film “The Gallows.” Twenty years after an accident caused the death of the lead actor during a high school play, students at the same small town school resurrected the failed stage production in a misguided attempt to honour the anniversary of the tragedy. Unfortunately, they soon discover that some things are best left alone.

In 1993, a freak accident involving a noose kills teenager Charlie Grimille during a high-school production of “The Gallows.” Twenty years later, on the eve of the play’s revival, students Reese, Pfeifer, Ryan and Cassidy become trapped in the auditorium, with no way of calling for help. A night of terror awaits the four friends as they face the wrath of a malevolent and vengeful spirit. It seems Charlie will have his curtain call after all.

Written, directed and produced by Chris Lofing and Travis Cluff and shot entirely outside of the Hollywood system, the horror film found its way to the big screen thanks to the filmmakers’ use of a much smaller one—the computer—and their own ingenuity.

Jason Blum (“Ouija,” the “Paranormal Activity” “Insidious” and “Sinister” franchises), Entertainment 360’s Guymon Casady (TV’s “Game of Thrones,” “Steve Jobs”), Dean Schnider (upcoming “Shovel Buddies,” “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale”), and Benjamin Forkner (“The Killing Room”), and Lofing as well as Cluff served as the film’s producers while Dave Neustadter, Walter Hamada and Couper Samuelson served as executive producers.

“The Gallows” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is slated for a release on July 23rd in Malaysia.


MCMC Investigates Sugarbook; Government Plans To Ban The Site

Sugar daddies have become exceedingly popular in Malaysia. According to a sugar dating site, SeekingArrangement, we are ranked third in Asia.

Another app, Sugarbook which is for sugar babies, released the top 10 Malaysian universities with sugar babies. Sunway University was ranked first and surprisingly, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) also made the list.

Sunway University released a statement shortly after the report came out. They claimed they were “disappointed” as it “challenges the moral fabric” of the community and the youth. Elizabeth Lee, the university’s rep, added “We condemn their attempts to encourage youth to partake in immorality, normalise this notion and disregard the mental health impact this causes.”

According to Sugarbook however, they linked the rise of sugar babies among college and Uni students to the current economic downturn. Some, in response to Sunway’s statement, remarked that the university’s fees could be a reason why they topped the list. Whatever the reason, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has opened an investigation on Sugarbook.

The chairman of MCMC, Dr. Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek stated that currently they are investigating if the app is registered in Malaysia or simply being used locally. Any actions taken by them will be based on the 1998 Communications and Multimedia Act. He also stated that if evidence of prostitution is found, the matter will be handed to the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM).

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary said the app should be blocked as it could lead to immoral activities. He expressed that the government was concerned with the rumour of students using the app to make money for their tuition fees.

“This is something that is very sad for us. The application should be prevented from being used in our country as it encourages people to do things that are not right and violate the laws including Syariah law,” he stated.

While he opined that the government should take action against those involved, he added that they are leaving the matter to the MCMC and the Ministry of Higher Education.

Sources: Coconuts KL, Lowyat.net, The Edge Markets, New Straits Times


Hype’s Movie Review: The World Needs More Dark Comedies Like #Birdman

A comedy that is both dark and satirical, you’ve got to love how Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu made use of Michael Keaton’s post “Batman” career through his latest film, “Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”. No, Keaton is not a washed out actor – or at least we refuse to believe that he is. However, he does looks fitting for the leading role in “Birdman“, which also allows the world to recognise Keaton again as one of the best actors of all time.

The transformation is conceivable yet it still came as a shock to us how former “Batman” star Michael Keaton managed to throw himself into an at times surreal role for this award-winning film. He portrays Riggan Thomson, a faded Hollywood actor who tries to regain his dignity and ego through a Broadway adaptation of Raymond Carver’s “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”.

However, he is haunted by the voice of his superhero alter-ago, Birdman, a role that he has played years ago. Although the superhero role has brought him all the glitz and glamour, he is desperate to be taken seriously and to prove to himself he could do better than just being a superhero icon.

Ironically, his character has been compared to the other superhero films that have been taking the world by storm, especially with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The director breaks the Fourth Wall by throwing big names like Robert Downey Junior, Michael Fassbender, Woody Harrelson, and even Jeremy Renner into the film when Riggan attempts to look for a bigger, better actor to replace the current lead actor in his Broadway play.

It’s a rather insightful comparison because the director is putting it bluntly that the world will move on no matter how iconic a superhero was, and the entertainment industry continues to bring more blockbuster movies that will eventually overshadow a Broadway play directed by a former superhero star.

Through “Birdman”, we aren’t just looking at the life of a former superhero star; we are also given an inside look at what happens in the backstage days before a play opens. An opportunity literally came knocking on his door when Riggan’s co-star Lesley (played by Naomi Watts) managed to introduce him to a self-obsessed method actor, Mike (played by Edward Norton).

Edward Norton’s Mike is a saviour, but he is also a nightmare to be around. He had an one-on-one rehearsal with Mike and it is from that moment onwards, we knew that Mike’s presence would only worsen Riggan’s internal conflicts. Mike is a man with no borderline. He cannot be controlled because Riggan needed Mike more than Mike needed a random Broadway play for him to shine. And then there was Zach Galifianakis’s Jake, Riggan’s manager/producer who tried to make sure that the show will still go on no matter how many times Riggan has told him that he wanted to give up on this Broadway play. Jake always make sure that Riggan is motivated enough to finish the play he started with because the stakes are high for everyone involved in the play.

Mike messes everything up because he is a mess himself. He is a player in a relationship because he only shows his true feeling on stage rather than in real life. This explains why he messes everything up on stage because he does things on impulse, and eventually broke Lesley’s heart during a preview for the play. Then he develops an odd relationship with Sam (played by Emma Stone), Riggan’s daughter who just got out of a drug rehabilitation centre. Emma Stone’s Sam had this particular scene that stands out the most in the film, it is the part that hits her father the hardest when she tells him that everyone becomes irrelevant at some point in their lives, asking him to move on instead of proving his self-worth through the play.

In addition, the calm but fierce movie critic in the film is exactly the reason why we sort of refuse to call ourselves movie critics too. She is one of those movie critics that the film industry is afraid of the most because she doesn’t care how hard a director or the Broadway actors have worked for a play. She writes honest reviews that also basically mocks celebrities who attempt to be artistic through a Broadway play. She caught Riggan’s attention, especially after she warns Riggan of his ego and says that he is just “a celebrity, not an actor”.

We feel breathless watching this film as it seems like it was filmed in one long shot with no breaks in between. But of course, there are transitions in the film which the cinematographer has managed hide seamlessly. It’s a great way to show the character’s fast-paced life when he’s about to experience a mental-breakdown. Since the beginning of the film, we knew something was definitely wrong with the character, because it is humanly impossible that he could float in the air during meditation or fling objects with his mind. He also has this voice that has been convincing him to embrace his superhero persona again. He is constantly battling with himself throughout the film and the external forces only gave him more pressure.

Without giving it away, we’d say the film has a rather intriguing ending. Does Riggan Thomson finally overcome his internal conflicts? What happens to Riggan Thomson in the end? We’ll just say that it will definitely allow your imagination to soar. The final stunt he pulls by the end of the film is unexplainable, leaving us wondering if he really has the superhuman abilities or if this is all just a set-up.

“Birdman” is original and unique, a film I’d highly recommend people to watch. The cinematography was amazing and you’re going to have a hard time getting rid of the addictive drum score from the film.

Slated for release on 22nd Jan at selected GSC outlets in Malaysia, “Birdman” stars Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, and Andrea Riseborough.

For more information, visit the movie’s website.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.