(UPDATE) #SubangAirport: Businessman Detained In Connection To Bomb Hoax

Remember the bomb hoax in Subang’s Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport just 2 days ago (Tuesday, 18th May)?

The police have acted in a very efficient manner, as it is reported that a businessman in his 40s has been arrested in connection to the case. Police arrested the unnamed man who is believed to be one of the passengers of the flight.

It is learnt that the man arrived at Subang Airport intending to board the flight heading to Singapore, but realised that he left his passport at home. After retrieving his passport, the man arrived at the airport only to find out that the flight departed as scheduled. He then tried to make the aircraft turn back by making the bomb hoax call.

However, the suspect, an electrical appliances shop owner, changed his mind about travelling to Singapore and returned home. Hours after the incident, police traced the man at Batu Caves through the telephone number used to make the threat. He was subsequently held by the Petaling Jaya CID team at a house in Taman Bukit Permata.

Police had earlier picked up the suspect’s male employee for questioning, also at Batu Caves.

Petaling Jaya police chief ACP Mohd Zani Che Din said the businessman is reprimanded for alleged “criminal intimidation by anonymous communication” under Section 507 of the Penal Code.

On Tuesday, 40 passengers and 13 flight crew were grounded in the Subang airport after a bomb hoax caused a 4-hour delay for a Firefly flight. The plane took off at 7:40pm, but staff received 2 anonymous calls around 8pm, claiming that there was a bomb on the plane.

A bomb squad swept the plane for over 3 hours but no explosives were found on board.

Wong Choon Loong, 41, was charged under Section 507 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication at the magistrate’s court for making the fake bomb threat.

The businessman, who is also a director for several companies, pleaded not guilty to having instilled panic and fear by claiming that there was an explosive on board Flight 3251.

If Wong is found guilty, he could face a maximum of 2 years in prison, a fine or both of the punishments.

Magistrate Atiqah Abdul Karim set bail at RM 8,000. Wong’s lawyer, L. H. Yap, appealed for a lower bail, explaining that his client had many companies to run.

Magistrate Atiqah fixed the hearing date on 28th June.


#WWE: World Wrestling Entertainment Returns To Singapore With “WWE LIVE SINGAPORE”

Brace yourselves. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is scheduled to return to Singapore this June with “WWE LIVE SINGAPORE”.

Presented in partnership with TEG Dainty Asia, a premiere promoter of live events throughout the world, “WWE LIVE SINGAPORE” will feature WWE Superstars including Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns, Bayley, Sasha Banks, Braun Strowman, Cesaro, Sheamus, Rusev, and more*.

Upon the announcement, President and CEO of TEG Dainty Asia Paul Dainty said, “We are excited to bring WWE Live back to Singapore. Like our sold-out show in 2015, we promise an action-filled night that will have young and old on their feet roaring in excitement. This one-night-only show is the only stop in Southeast Asia in 2017, so it is not to be missed.”

Wanna watch your favourite Superstars live? Deets are as follows:

For more information, hit up the WWE website.

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Eyeball Cleaning Is Still A Thing In China

If there was a Chinese version of “Sweeney Todd”, we reckon this would come close to it.

An “ancient technique” that uses a sharp blade to clean the dirt in a person’s eyes still exists in China. The exact term is called eyeball scrapping, and the trade is still practised by Sichuan barbers.

Take barber Xiong Gaowu for example. Besides cutting hair, his business in Chengdu also involves him using his special skills as an “eye-cleaner”. The procedure is actually quite scary, especially if you’ve never attempted something like this before. In addition to getting rid of filth on the eyes, it is said that eyeball scrapping also cleans out conjunctivitis and mote on the cornea.

Xiong starts off by applying sanitising solution before treating his customers. Using his fingers to hold open the eyelids, he then proceeds to scrape the inside of people’s eyelids. The same method is repeated on the other eye. The whole process requires approximately 5 minutes. By the end of it, tears can be seen streaming down patron’s face due the scrapping.

According to the 62-year-old elderly man, he has been studying this ancient trade since he was 17 years old. He trained for 3 years before starting to earn an income. The rest, as they say, is history. Xiong has been “cleaning” people’s eyes with a blade for the past 40 years.

This disappearing tradition is hardly practised nowadays due to its high risk of infection and danger. The master has to possess strong and steady hands during the eyeball scrapping process. However, one wrong move and the client could become blind.

Who would be brave to have your eyeballs clean using this method? Not us though.

Source: Next Shark/ Featured image: NetEase.


Interview: Gentle Bones & Benjamin Kheng On Their New Collab & Dealing With Mental Health

2020 has undoubtably brought up much fear and anxiety in many of us as a result of the uncertainties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In coping with the new normal, Gentle Bones a.k.a Joel Tan poured his personal reflection and struggles into his latest EP, “Better With You”.

Despite becoming a fully independent artist this year, the Singaporean singer-songwriter has slowed down a bit. In fact his collaborations with artists like Gareth Fernandez, Charlie Lim, Joie Tan and Tay Kewei have been well received by fans.

His latest music project sees him teaming up once more with long-time friend and collaborator Benjamin Kheng, of The Sam Willows. The focus track “Better With You” is described as a heartfelt conversation with a loved one during a time of uncertainty and about a thoughtful attempt to reach out and check in on a loved one – letting them know that there are people around them who value and appreciate them.

Meanwhile, the hip-hop tune “Put My Hands Up” is an indication of the light-hearted aspect of being infatuated with a person and is the written expression of the googly heart-eyes emoji. The title meant to be a small play when the DJ asks everyone to “put your hands up”.

In our interview with the duo, both Joel and Ben took a trip down memory lane with us about their first impressions of each other, what has been occupying their time throughout the pandemic, and how they’ve dealt with mental health over the years.

1. Out of curiosity, what were your first impressions of each other when y’all first met? Can you recall?

Gentle Bones (GB): I’ve always been a huge fan of Ben when he was in The Sam Willows even till now. Over the years when I see him do things in the industry and be so multi-talented. Going into acting, going into script writing, theatre performances and even writing big hits, having such big contributions and success to the Willows. It has been crazy for me. He has been such a positive light in my life. So he is really a role model for me. I was a bit shy talking to him at first but it worked out. We wrote a song together in the end.

Ben: I remember Joel being a quiet, reserved fella, and I felt like I was too loud and obnoxious for him to consider me a friend. But he had such an amazing sound, and a depth to his soul and writing that was unmatched.

2. In the midst of this pandemic, what has 2020 taught you personally? Were you surprised to discover anything new about yourself and your surroundings?

GB: Well I guessed it allowed me to fall back in love in writing music again. Naturally there are a lot of negative sides whereby I can’t play music live anymore, I can’t present the music that I worked so hard on to people who will be willing to come to listen to it live. I was a bit surprised at how much I fell back in love with writing music again. Usually I was distracted with keeping up with the business side of things, performing, brand related stuff. It really gives the time to just be at home, think about what I really want to channel out there, through my music.

Ben: 2020 has taught me that I actually enjoy doing silly TikToks. It’s also taught me who my closest friends are, and how much I enjoy doing nothing everyday. Which makes me sad cause I no longer get to do nothing.

3. Joel, this EP is described as one of your most personal yet. What were some of the conversations you had with Ben when getting him on this project? Ben, what drew you to this project?

GB: So getting on with Ben was a cool one. We actually collaborated on one of the spoken word tracks so he asked me to sit down with him and penned this chorus for this spoken word video called ‘FATHER, FATHER’. That’s when we first worked together. It has been 5 years coming. I’ve been wanting to work with him, the way that felt natural to the both of us.

I think we were coming out during the same time, and broke into the mainstream via doing YouTube covers, I am doing it alone and him with The Sam Willows. It’s always a thing for me to write something that I feel will be suited for both of us to put out. So one day, I just wrote this song and mostly inspired by Ben for being such a positive figure in my life. Being a new kid on the block 5 years ago in this industry, I’ve just watched him do his thing, watching him grow as a person is really very inspirational, so I wrote a song with a couple of melodies, past lyrics of strength through adversity, and I sent it to him. He actually said yes when I asked whether he is able to sing this song together with me. It’s a beautiful thing for me to see this song put together and really proud of it.

Ben: What kind of idiot would turn down the chance to work with Gentle Bones? I got to witness his quiet brilliance up close. This guy keeps his own pace, and makes his own bed. I would work with him anytime.

4. As entertainers and public figures, have y’all personally dealt with depression and anxiety disorder? How do you recognise the symptoms and what is the best way to tackle it?

GB: Yeah definitely. Something that we all battled with, not just entertainers. So I think it is just coming to terms with depression and anxiety. It’s how you approach it and how you give love to yourself. Understanding why you are nervous which causes anxiety. Why you feel sad which causes depression. There is a reason for all of these. And if you can just love yourself through the process and understand why you are uncomfortable with certain things. Put yourself first so that you may give the world the best self and make this world better with you around. It’s a thing that we are still learning, I am still learning. It’s a lifelong process.

Ben: It’s pretty rampant all around the industry – we’ve just gotten very good at making it look like something else – busyness, social status etc. I fell into a little hole in 2017 with mood disorder. I took some time off, started taking care of my body and pursuing other things. I also spoke to friends, a lot.

5. What do you think is the biggest misconception about mental health?

GB: People too easily label things that is foreign to them, something related to it, I do feel that mental health is something everybody should be familiar with, because we all face specific kinds of depression or anxiety, of different magnitude and it’s important that we acknowledge why others have it. Not just pin them as somebody who is going through it. We all are human and we go through specific emotions and we all can understand that the world will be a better place.

Ben: That you can’t cure it with medication or seeing a doctor / therapist. For some of us, it’s clinical, so beat it like you would the common flu. Don’t give it more respect and time than it deserves.

6. How do you deal with self-doubt and fear these days?

GB: I really try to just sit with it. Try to understand why I am doubtful of myself. Why I am afraid of certain things. Clearly understand how you approach life. With the love for yourself, understanding why you are doubtful or fearful, you just try to be better. You know, just not to be better for tomorrow. Giving yourself a break, really helps.

Ben: I embarrass myself on TikTok. I no longer have shame. It also takes telling myself I no longer have time for self-doubt, I just need to survive this crippling economy. But honestly, flexing and “gassing” yourself up, even to an audience of one, is self love. And it helps.

7. Due to Covid-19, artists can’t perform live and earn their salary through that. What other forms of expression of music are you exploring during this time?

GB: This pandemic has not allowed me to perform live. So for me, it’s really falling in love with music, like my answer to question 2. Trying to express myself in different ways, different lyrics, different genres, different sounds. Improve on what I feel is the Gentle Bones’ sound.

Ben: After releasing my EP this year, I took a step back from creating music and just started consuming it, which was very therapeutic. I’m glad to be back, and I’m fortunate that I had other ventures in that time to keep me afloat.

8. Since Christmas is just a few weeks away, how will you be spending the holidays?

GB: I will spend my time with my family and my friends. Trying to do some Christmas shopping, spend time at home. I think this will be an interesting Christmas this year for shows.

Ben: I’m going to spend it with family, as always, and figure out how to do adult things like moving house.

9. What is the best present you’ve received and given?

GB: The best present that I have received is from my friend Kenneth. Basically it got really bright once the sun came up, I couldn’t get a curtain installed in my room. So my friend actually got me an eye mask. It’s really comfy.

Best present given – I wouldn’t know actually, cos I’m not really the right person to ask right? It could be anything, I might need to interview other friends to figure out which one is the best.

Ben: I can’t say too much but I’m pretty decent at planning surprises. The best present I’ve received was from a special someone who transformed an entire hotel room into a “Star Wars” experience and I don’t think I’ve ever been the same since.

10. Lastly, (finish the sentence) the world needs…

GB: The world is fine as it is.
Ben: The world needs more Gentle Bones music.

We couldn’t agree more. Listen to his songs below:

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Contest: 80 Pairs Of UChat Songkran Day-Out Passes Up For Grabs

Would you like to experience a tidal wave of splashing water fun activities at UChat Songkran Day-Out festival?

Thanks to our friends from UChat (Malaysia’s first 2-in-1 messaging and e-wallet app), we’re giving away 80 pairs of passes to enjoy this fun-filled event next week.

We know that many of y’all are excited for the concert performances that will be taking place. K-pop, Thai, and local artists will be gathered at UChat Songkran Day-Out water festival to put on awesome performances for music lovers.

The impressive international line-up includes:

On the local front, we have pop rock trio Bunkface, singer-turned-actress Elizabeth Tan, Mandapop star Min Chen, YouTube sensation Priscilla Abby, and local heartthrob As’ad Motawh.

As this is a completely cashless event, all transactions will be done via UChatPay. There will be plenty of Thai-themed food trucks to satisfy your Thai cravings on both days. You can also win some e-money by joining water tournaments activities. They are:

In case you don’t know, UChat Songkran Day-Out is divided into 3 different zones – VIP Experience, Premium Zone, and Basic Zone. While the VIP and Premium Zones allow you excess to the concert as well as water activities, the Basic Zone is only limited to the water activities.

The details to UChat Songkran Day-Out water festival are as follow:

In collaboration with UChat, we are giving away 80 pairs of tickets:

Now to the exciting part, for those who want to snag some free tickets to UChat Songkran Day-Out, here’s the guideline:


Singer Chubb-E Clarifies Controversial Scene In “Rambang” MV; Doesn’t Want To Be Linked With Zul Ariffin

Malaysian singer Chubb-E wants everyone to know that his upcoming MV for his comeback single “Rambang” does not contain any lewd or X-rated scenes, as claimed by many netizens online.

For those in the dark, the young celeb came under fire after a couple of photos showing him with a female co-star and a group of dancers made its way on social media recently. The foreign model was spotted wearing revealing clothes as seen in the blurred viral images. This has in turn sparked anger among many netizens.

In shedding some light on the recent controversy, Chubb-E assured the public that they don’t have to worry. According to him, the MV will not feature any steamy scenes. “I know, people will bring up the same thing that happened to Zul Ariffin previously. In the music video, there are no overly excessive scenes. In fact, I didn’t have any physical contact with the female model. She only made her appearance for a few seconds,” he explained to mStar.

At the same time, Chubb-E (real name Muhammad Sharul Ashlyn Ag Ashrul Affandy) also clarified that the controversy that broke out was not part of the marketing gimmick by his team prior to the release of his new single. “I personally had no idea how the photos got leaked online. Of course, me and my management team have already had our own gimmick in mind. I had no intention to deliberately create controversy like this to grab the attention of fans,” the 22-year-old added.

During the chat with the local portal, Chubb-E also expressed hope that people will not make a big deal out of the issue until it gets out of control. “I hope fans will be able to see the overall concept I want to convey in the song and MV this time. There are many more hot scenes that have been shown on TV before. So, there’s no need to overreact to the matter. Similar to actors, I want to show a different side of me through this song,” he shared.

In a post uploaded on his Instagram Story over the weekend, Chubb-E also revealed that he would be seeking the culprit who leaked the photos. “It’s really hard dealing with people nowadays. What do you get from spreading the photos? Just you wait, I’ll look for you,” he wrote.

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Woman Gives Birth On Street, Picks Up Newborn & Walks Home

If this doesn’t scream superwoman, we don’t know what will.

In a video that has gone viral in China, a pregnant mum’s shopping trip was cut short when her water suddenly broke. She then proceeded to give birth to her baby right on the street in the Guangdong city of Yunfu.

The sudden birth of the woman’s baby stunned onlookers. The scene was rather graphic as obvious blood stains can be seen on the road as well as on the lady’s long maxi-dress. Thankfully, a few helpful individuals came forward to assist her. They provided her with a few wooden chairs and a sheet of cardboard.

According to Chinese reports, an ambulance and a medical nurse arrived at the scene moments later to cut the umbilical cord and look over the newborn child. Apparently, there weren’t any complications with the birth. Shortly after, the new mum was seen walking away – with one hand holding her groceries and another holding her infant.

Judging from her no-fuss attitude afterwards, you wouldn’t suspect that this woman had just pushed a human being out of her body a while ago; if not for the bloodied dress.

We don’t know about you but we’ve got major respect for this mum.

Sources: Shanghaiist, Mothership, Daily Mail/ Featured image: Pear Video.


Resorts World Genting Announces Reopening With Limited Offerings

Resorts World Genting has been closed since 1st June ever since the nationwide lockdown was implemented. Now that Malaysians have started enjoying the travel bubble in Langkawi, Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri has proposed for 3 more destinations – Melaka, Pulau Tioman and Genting Highlands – to reopen.

Although Focus GN and Inside Asian Gaming reported that Genting Malaysia is postponing the reopening of Resorts World Genting (RWG) until further notice, the official notice on its website says otherwise.

Yesterday (Thursday, 30th September), the resort released a notice titled “Reopening of Resorts World Genting”. It not only announced its reopening but also informed that all of its employees have already been fully vaccinated.

As of now, only limited offerings are available, with more facilities to reopen in stages. As with most public places, only fully vaccinated guests (for Pahang residents only) are allowed into the premises (in accordance to government SOPs).

Here are are attractions and outlets that are open for the time being:

F&B (Dine-in)
• AYU Awana (7am – 9pm daily)
• LTITUDE Restaurant, Bar & Lounge (12 noon – 10pm)
• 360 Bar (12 noon – 12 midnight)
• Lobby Lounge (Sun to Thu: 2pm – 10pm/ Fri, Sat & eve of Public Holiday: 2pm – 12 midnight)
• The Bakery (Sun to Thu: 7am – 10pm/ Fri & Sat: 7am – 12 midnight)
• Seasons (7am – 12 midnight)
• Cha Chaan Teng (8am – 11pm)
• Genting Palace (Breakfast & Lunch: 8am – 2.30pm/ Dinner: 6pm – 9.30pm)
• Good Luck Restaurant (8am – 12 midnight)
• Malaysian Food Street (8am – 8pm)
• Jom Makan Street Food (8am – 8pm)

Hotel
• Resorts World Awana
• Genting Grand
• Highlands Hotel


#Instagram: App Notifies Users When Someone Takes Screenshot Of Disappearing Messages

Instagram has added another Snapchat-inspired feature and this time, it’s the screenshot notifications.

But fret not, because the alerts will only appear if you screenshot a disappearing message in Instagram Direct. Disappearing messages allows users to send videos and photos that will disappear once the receiver sees it.

To use the disappearing message feature, simply swipe right into the camera to take a photo or video, then tap the arrow to send it privately to friends or groups. And like Snapchat, receivers can only replay it once. Besides that, Instagram also introduced live videos, allowing users to live stream their activities to all of their friends and followers for up to an hour.

The screenshot alerts have received a mixed response from netizens. Some hated the new update while others thought that it was a good idea as those messages are meant to be private. Some Twitter users even dissed the photo-sharing app, saying that its going too far trying to be more like Snapchat.

Is it true that Instagram now notifies people when you've screenshot their photos???

Noooo how am I gonna stalk my crush now… ☹😂

— Kerwin King (@imkerwinking) November 25, 2016

#Instagram has been sending notifications to people when you screenshot their pictures? I'm quitting my favorite late night hobby. pic.twitter.com/ZB8Jk7tfIK

— ジェン (@midnightmisuki) November 26, 2016

Here's yet another thing #Instagram copied from #Snapchat https://t.co/OdqYx7rKqD

— Jens Schlüter (@JensSchlueter) November 29, 2016

What do you think about the feature? Yay or nay? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below :)

For more info, visit Instagram’s blog and Facebook page.

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#BlackEyedPeas: Will.I.Am Confirms Hip Hop Quartet Reuniting For New Album

This is not a drill. We have official confirmation that a Black Eyed Peas reunion is happening!

That’s right peeps. Will.i.am, Fergie, Apl.de.ap, and Taboo are planning on getting back in the studio together for a possible new record. It’s been 5 years since the band announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus after their “The E.N.D World Tour” in July 2011.

“There will be a Black Eyed Peas reunion. It breaks my heart that I even have to say that because, really, we should just always have been doing Black Eyed Peas actually. We shouldn’t have ever (stopped),” Will recently told Roman Kemp on Capital FM’s “Evening Show”.

Their last release, “The Beginning”, was their 6th album. Since then, Will released his 4th studio album, “Willpower”, in 2013. Just last week, the 41-year-old hit-maker dropped the music video for his new single “Boys & Girls” featuring Pia Mia on the dance track.

During the break, Fergie became a mum to 2-year-old Axl with husband Josh Duhamel. The singer is currently putting the finishing touches on her sophomore LP, “Double Dutchess”.

Given their solo commitment on their music projects, a BEP reunion might take a while but it’s nice to know that there are plans for new music. It has been too long since the group churned out tracks with all 4 members in it.

We don’t know about y’all but we’re more than ready for some “Boom Boom Pow” ;)

Sources: Idolator, NME, Mirror UK, The Sun UK.


Sony LinkBuds S: A Compact Powerhouse We’re Obsessed With

It’s safe to say that finding a pair of earphones that can do its job, but are also comfortable enough to be worn throughout the day is a CHALLENGE these days. We think we’ve found the perfect pair but then when it’s time to go about our day with them, they not only fail us but also hinder us from performing our daily tasks and responsibilities with ease. They start to fall off, feel uncomfortable in our ear, whatever it is — it’s just not ideal.

With the LinkBuds S however, that’s never the case. Introducing Sony’s smallest and lightest, noise cancelling, Hi-Res truly wireless headphones. With LinkBuds S, you’re always connected to your everyday worlds. Ultra small and light, they can be worn comfortably around the clock, keeping you in touch with the people, places and entertainment you love.

We’re not lying when we say they are ultra light and small — they weigh just 4.8 grams. The ergonomic design of the headphones offers consumers a more secure fit and a shape that precisely mimics the human ear, keeping you connected and in charge of your day.

An optimal ear tip size and headphone form that is comfortable for many people is guaranteed, in addition to the 4 alternative ear tip sizes that are included with the headphones to accommodate the various types of ears. The charging case matches the LinkBuds S perfectly thanks to its attractive, rounded shape and complementary colours; it is easy to carry in your hand or pocket for life on the go.

These earbuds give you the best of both worlds; Sony’s best ambient sound in truly wireless headphones when you want to interact with your world or high quality noise cancelling when you need to focus. With an enhanced but still natural level of ambient sound, the earbuds still allow you to stay aware of your surroundings when you’re out and about, without having to take them off.

However, you are welcome to lose yourself in some music if you choose. The earbuds replicate strong bass and vocals with exceptional clarity, bringing forth the best in music of all genres. Bonus; this rich mid-range sound enables clear reproduction of voices in movies and podcasts as well.

Switching between these two modes is easy, even while you’re preoccupied. You just never know what you might run into that would force you to put your enjoyment on hold and return to reality. However, everything is simple with the LinkBuds S. To change between modes, all you have to do is tap your left earbud. That’s it. It really doesn’t get any easier.

Forget what we said about it not getting any easier – it does. LinkBuds S can actually switch automatically. Yes, you read that right. Depending on your location and what you’re doing, the LinkBuds S can automatically transition between ambient sound mode and noise cancelling.

Smart technology known as adaptive sound control adjusts ambient sound settings for the best listening experience based on where you are and what you’re doing. It adapts music to the setting as it learns your behaviour over time and recognises places you frequent, like your job or a favourite café.

You can enable Speak-to-Chat to automatically pause the music as soon as you speak to someone, allowing you to hear only ambient sound whilst conducting a conversation – handy if you want to keep your headphones on or your hands are full. Your music also automatically resumes playing after your talk ends.

Speaking of ‘hands-free’ – Just say “Hey Google” or “Alexa” to activate your preferred voice assistant. Listen to music, connect with  friends, get notiﬁcations, set  reminders, and more.

Additionally, with Quick Access, you can set these wireless earbuds to resume playing Spotify music or Endel customised soundscapes with just two or three taps, eliminating the need to touch your phone.

Google’s handy new Fast Pair feature is supported by LinkBuds S. By tone sound or by looking up your headphones’ most recent location in Googles’ Find My Device app on your smartphone, you may quickly find where you left them.

Along with Swift Pair, which makes pairing your headphones with your Windows 11 or Windows 10 laptop, desktop PC, or tablet quick and simple. When pairing mode is chosen, pop-up pairing instructions are displayed on adjacent Windows 11 or Windows 10 devices.

All-in-all, the LinkBuds S unifies your daily life with noise cancellation, all-day comfort, and ambient sound. They make sure you’re always engaged in your life so you won’t miss a thing. They are small, light, and have excellent fit styling for hours of comfortable wearing.

Now you may experience high-quality audio for your own leisure as well as for your professional life. These earphones are fully cordless whilst still providing you access to high-resolution audio in all areas of your life.

Visit their website for more information and specifications on these earbuds’ increased features, as well as to place an order because you truly do not want to miss out on this! Additionally, be sure to follow them on their Instagram and Facebook to keep up with any promotions or announcements.

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#Heatwave: Another Death Recorded As Second Person Succumbs To Heatstroke

To date, a total of 2 people have succumbed to heatstroke so far this year due to the El Nino phenomenon.

23-year-old Wan Mohd Aliff Faisal Wan Ismedi, a trainee of the basic course for young volunteer servicemen, who died on Tuesday (26th April) at a polytechnic in Jitra, Kedah.

The first death from heatstroke occurred last month – a police trainee constable, 23-year-old Azizan Ayon, who died in Segamat, Johor. According to Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, 6 other trainees of the young volunteer servicemen course also suffered heatstroke and were treated as outpatients.

On top of that, the health ministry as of yesterday recorded 200 cases related to the heat.

In Pahang, he said, there was a case of heatstroke also on Tuesday at an institution of higher learning which required intensive care while 8 other people suffered from heat exhaustion following exposure to extreme heat during outdoor activities. This group of students reportedly participated in a national-level endurance competition that tested their physical resilience.

“One case of heatstroke and 2 cases of heat exhaustion were treated at Sultan Ahmad Shah Hospital in Temerloh, 5 cases of heat exhaustion were referred to Jengka Hospital and one case was treated as outpatient at a clinic of an institution of higher learning in Pahang,” he said.

All these cases were among the 200 cases related to heat treated at government health facilities – 52 of them heat cramps, 126, heat exhaustion and 22, heatstroke.

Stay indoors as much as possible, peeps. Keep yourself in check with our precautionary guideline on what warning signs to look out for as well as advice on how to cope during this dry spell.

In other news, the searing weather has also caused a sudden spike in snake bite cases in the country. Hospitals in Malaysia have recorded 730 cases of snake bites since January, with Kedah recording 195 cases and Perak with 107 cases. There has been one fatality recorded so far, on 19th April, when a 7-year-old girl from SK Dato’ Hashim 1 in Kelantan died after being bitten by a snake.

Source: Bernama / Featured image: South China Morning Post.


Yuna Collaborates With G-Eazy Once Again In New Single

Since last week, Malaysian singer Yuna has been teasing fans about her new single titled “Blank Marquee” and a mysterious collaborator that will be on the track.

Yesterday, she finally revealed that the collaborator is none other than American rapper G-Eazy who previously collaborated with the Muslim singer on “Lights and Camera”.

Tomorrow!? @g_eazy #yunablankmarquee photo @bryanallenlamb

A post shared by  Yuna ユナ (@yuna) on May 15, 2019 at 11:52am PDT

Fans and celebrity friends like Henry Golding, Afgan, Daiyan Trisha, Yaya Zahir and more have congratulated and expressed their excitement over the news.

According to Yuna, the song will drop tomorrow on Beats 1 and Apple Music at 9am PST.

Tomorrow ✨ #YunaBlankMarquee feat. @g_eazy ?

A post shared by  Yuna ユナ (@yuna) on May 15, 2019 at 3:55pm PDT

You can now check out the full music video below. We’re not sure about you, but team Hype is certainly digging the new era of Yuna here.

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The Reason Why Johor Prince TMJ Dislikes “YB Muar”

Tunku Mahkota Johor (TMJ), Tunku Ismail Idris recently conducted a Q&A session with his followers on his Instagram Story.

During the session, the Johor Prince responded to several questions from followers who wanted to know why he seems to dislike this one particular political figure, who is known as “YB Muar”.

One of his followers on IG prompted, “Your Majesty, why do you hate YB Muar?” As pointed out by TMJ, he is not keen with the YB in question because of his “fake” attitude. Additionally, another user asked. “What do you mean by fake people?” to which he responded, “An individual who has no principles and only likes to pretend on social media.”

At one point, TMJ was also asked on why he thought that “YB Muar” is fake. The Johor Darul Takzim football club owner explained that he believes that an “individual must have principles and not just follow where the wind blows.”

Though he didn’t specifically mention any names, many might know which “YB Muar” TMJ is referring to. What are your thoughts on this?


#Deadpool2: A “Deadpool” Sequel Reportedly In The Works

The movie has just premiered in Malaysia but already, there’s a demand for more of “Deadpool” and obviously, Fox knows that.

Hence, a “Deadpool” sequel is already in the works, as confirmed by THR, citing an insider source.

Fox has greenlit the sequel and they’re reportedly intending on keeping the same team together. Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who wrote “Deadpool”, are working on the script for “Deadpool 2”, while the studio is hoping to reunite Ryan Reynolds with director Tim Miller for the sequel.

Of course, Ryan Reynolds is expected to return for part 2 of the slapstick superhero movie.

Tim Miller too, since he previously openly spoke of a “Deadpool” sequel and the possibility of including the character Cable:

There aren’t really many definitive Deadpool villains, apart from Cable. If we don’t put Cable in Deadpool 2 I think we’ll be run out of town on a rail.

In case you don’t know who the incredibly powerful Cable is, he’s the son of X-Men’s Cyclops (Scott Summers) and Madelyne Pryor (Jean Grey’s clone).

Although born in the present, he was sent forward in time, but traveled back to the present day as an adult to prevent his apocalyptic future he was raised in from ever occurring. He and Deadpool first crossed paths in New Mutants #98 when Deadpool was hired to kill him.

The X-Men film franchise may be more than 15 years old but Cable hasn’t been introduced yet. If Fox is settled on using the character, the “Deadpool 2” would be the best place for him to make his debut. That would be a pretty interesting spin on the next “Merc with a Mouth” film, no? :)

Hang tight as we wait for more “Deadpool 2” news e.g. film date, locations, casting, teasers, etc. Meanwhile, get to know the heroes and villains of Marvel’s “Deadpool” here.

Sources: /FILM, THR, The Verge, Cinema Blend.

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#NowYouSeeMe2: Daniel Radcliffe To Play Another Wizard Role?

While everything is still kept under wraps, Batman star Michael Caine let slip that Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe is set to appear in the upcoming sequel of the magician film, “Now You See Me”!

We didn’t know for sure if Daniel Radcliffe was going to play a “Harry Potter-esque” role in the sequel of “Now You See Me” until Michael Caine mentioned that the star will be his son in the film.

According to Hey U Guys, Caine who played the insurance magnate Arthur Tressler said:

There’s a sequel to Now You See Me and we’re shooting in London. I shoot in December, the whole of December in London, and my son is Harry Potter. I thought it’d be funny, me and Daniel Radcliffe as father and son.

Lionsgate and Dan himself have not confirmed the report yet but we assume the official announcement will come sooner or later.

Set to be released on June 10, 2016, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco are expected to reprise their roles as the quarter of magicians aka “The Four Horsemen”. Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine will return to the film as well and the sequel will be directed by Jon M. Chu.


Interview: Johnny Orlando On Crafting His New EP & His Fans In Malaysia

Johnny Orlando, Canada’s rising pop star who won MTV’s Europe Music Awards for Best Canadian Act in 2019, has officially released his anticipated EP, “It’s Never Really Over”.

The EP will focus on Johnny’s growth as an artist and a person, while also touching on the emotional obstacles he had to face in being ready for “the reality of the real world.”

While talking with Hype through a Zoom call recently, the young singer-songwriter talked about his upcoming EP and how the pandemic has affected him.

Check out our interview with Johnny Orlando below:

1.  You’ve mentioned that the “It’s Never Really Over” EP is kind of a farewell to your childhood and innocence. What was it like growing up, to being where you are today?

It’s a hard question to answer. For me, it’s just my childhood and I don’t really have any normal experience to compare it to. I started music early and my life changed at a very young age. It’s a lot of fun (doing music), it is one of the greatest things that can happen to somebody, in my opinion, which is being able to do what you love.

There are some drawbacks of course – being in the public eye that young and being involved in social media, which can be toxic sometimes. But, the benefits definitely outweigh the negatives.

A post shared by johnny (@johnnyorlando)

2. Tell us more about the process of making your new EP.

When I first make a song, I usually start with a beat or chords, something to write to. From there, it depends on what song I want to make that day. If I’m really upset about something, I wanna get it off my mind and talk about it.

When you’re writing, you have a lot of time to think about what you’re going to say and how to convey. It’s very therapeutic for me. But if we’re doing a more upbeat song, I’d turn on Spotify and play some upbeat music to get in the mood, and then just go to the booth and start spinning whatever is on my mind.

3. Between the 6 tracks featured in the EP, which one was the hardest to write emotionally?

Probably “Adelaide”, because that song is about a very real experience but I still wanted to make it upbeat. So, there was a lot of balance in there that I had to do in order to make the song still meaningful to me and not have it lose its ‘potency’, while still have it be a fun song that people can jam to.

4. What was the biggest challenge in making the whole EP?

I think the biggest challenge is probably my own mental state. This year has been a very turbulent for all of us (due to the Covid-19 pandemic). For me, there’s so much that has happened and its been hard to have a happy outlook on things, and staying motivated and positive. When you’re making an EP, you have to be motivated and that was a pretty big challenge to me.

5. Did you learn anything new throughout the pandemic? Especially about yourself.

Absolutely, the biggest take away for me is that things can and will change in an instant. You just have to let go of your ego and everything you care about that’s unimportant. When you’re at school for example, and you go ‘Oh, I’m wearing mismatched socks,’ I used to stress about that for the entire day.

Like, I wouldn’t have a good day just because my shirt was wrinkled or I couldn’t find the shoes I wanted to wear. It’s just stupid little things, but when you put it into perspective that there’s a global pandemic going on, there’s way more important things to worry about.

6. What about your growth as a rising pop star, do you think the pandemic affected it?

I think as a musician, it has definitely affected me. I haven’t been able to do all the things I wanted to do this year, like going on a tour. I was planning to go on tour and it would’ve been a lot of fun.

Every time that you’re stuck on the bus, for a month, you tend to learn some things along the way. I’ve definitely missed out on a lot of great sessions where I could’ve produced some really sweet songs and, you know, more opportunities to be introspective.

7. Are there any plans for an Asia tour in the future, and will Malaysia be included?

Of course! We’ve been talking about it for literally two years. As a Canadian, going to a new continent can be really scary. I could show up to Malaysia and nobody knows who I am, it’s like I’m out of luck.

But I’ve been receiving a lot of support from (the people in) Asia, Malaysia specifically. My fan base over there is just so loud and so loving. I think it’s time (for an Asia tour) and I’m absolutely looking forward to that in the near future, hopefully.

“It’s Never Really Over” will feature 6 tracks, including his latest single, “Everybody Wants You.”

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(UPDATE) TVXQ: Yunho’s Army Enlistment Confirmed, Idol Breaks Down At Concert

SM Entertainment’s K-Pop idol duo TVXQ recently completed their 10th anniversary tour in Japan at the Tokyo Dome, where member Yunho spoke about his impending military enlistment. It was reported that he shed tears as he greeted fans, and it wasn’t only because the duo were celebrating their 10th debut year in Japan.

“Although we can’t hold concert tours for a while, we promise to come back,” Yunho told the crowd, with tears streaming down his face.

Born in 1986 and standing at 29 years of age, Yunho is at the age where he should soon be enlisting and fulfilling his military requirement as a South Korean citizen.

SM Entertainment later confirmed that Yunho will be enlisting this year but added:

The date for his military enlistment has not been set yet. Since he is at the age where he must enlist this year, it seems that is why he mentioned it at the concert. It was their last Japanese concert before their military enlistment.

For fans, this means that they won’t be seeing their beloved idol for 2 years.

TVXQ’s other member Changmin, who was born in 1988, is also coming to the age where he will enlisting soon, but there has been no word about him joining Yunho in the army as of yet.

Should Changmin join Yunho this year, then at least the wait for a TVXQ comeback is only 2 years instead of 4.

Nevertheless, things have been emotional for the fans and the duo. At their Tokyo Dome concert, he was seen breaking down and crying uncontrollably as he tried to sing. Fans cheered him on while Changmin looked on with a sad expression on his face.

TVXQ will be joining the festivities in this year’s Korean Times Music Festival at Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, on 2nd May.

SM Entertainment have taken to multiple social media platforms to confirm that Yunho isn’t going to enlist on 6th July, as the earlier reports suggested.

The company confirmed in their latest press statement that the singer “will begin his military service on 21st July.  It was reported that he will enter the basic 5 weeks of training before carrying out “his service as an active duty soldier for 21 months”. The agency also commented, “Respecting the artists’ decision, we will not be revealing the time and location. We sincerely thank you for all the love and support for U-Know.”

No further details regarding his enlistment, but fans can catch the final moments of TVXQ! together at their encore concert in Seoul on the 13th and 14th June. Yunho will also be releasing his Japanese solo album on 8th July.

Sources: OSEN, Star News, DBSK Sleepless Nights, Koreaboo, Allkpop


Jay Park’s “JOAH” Ready For Take-Off!

Did someone tell Jay Park, “Enough with mucking around on social media and release some new tunes already!”? Because we hear that the hot South Korean idol is making a comeback with a digital single!

Jay Park’s digital single is titled, “JOAH”, a Korean word which translates into “like” in English. The artiste released a video teaser via his YouTube channel prior to revealing the details of his single, egging his fangirls on in crazy anticipation for his song. Hah! For lack of better word, what a tease, really:

[youtube id=”BJIG97pDcZ8″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

Since then, it has been revealed that Jay Park will be releasing a single album which will contain “JOAH” as the title track. In addition to “JOAH”, he’s also throwing in two more tracks, “It’s The Truth” and “Welcome”. That adds up to a total of three songs that will cover genres that only Jay Park can “wing” best – R&B ballad and hip hop.

From what we’re hearing, “JOAH” sounds like the next “Jay Park love song” whereas “It’s The Truth” will feature none other than Jay’s close friend, dok2. Dok2 has also previously worked with YG Entertainment’s Tablo and G-Dragon on “Light It Up”.

The official MV for Jay Park’s “JOAH” has been released! Have you seen it, have you seen it? Here:

[youtube id=”rMtCJC39SqU” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Jay Park’s single album will be released on 10th April 2013 (Wednesday) so keep a look out for it!

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#Kingsman2: First Look At Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, & Jeff Bridges

Hold on to your cowboy hats, because the first official images from “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” have been unveiled.

In addition to giving us a new look at Taron Egerton as lead character Gary “Eggsy” Unwin, these photos also shine the spotlight on the franchise’s 3 newcomers: Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, and Jeff Bridges.

Although the sequel will continue to focus on the adventures of Eggsy, he will be introduced to the members of the Statesman, the U.S. counterpart to the Kingsmen. Here’s how Egerton describes the new team-up, saying, “If the 1st Kingsman was Captain America, then this is very much The Avengers now.”

While Tatum – in his signature cowboy hat – and Bridges appear to be in Western-style clothes, Berry’s simplistic outfit bears resemblance to the suit-and-tie aesthetic of the Kingsmen. Actor Mark Strong even teased that his character Merlin may have a thing for Berry’s American spymaster, Ginger.

“I quite like playing the tech nerd who can handle himself in a conflict situation. But what I really like about this 2nd film is that Merlin meets Halle Berry’s character, who plays his equivalent role in the Statesmen. And she had her clipboard and her glasses, just like Merlin. And what happens when two tech nerds come together? Might there be some geeky love?” asked Strong.

In a previous interview, Taron Egerton told Cinema Blend that “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” is going to be “bigger, badder, and has more guns“.

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” will be released on 29th September 2017.


#Marian: Margot Robbie To Headline “Robin Hood” Spin-Off

What if Robin Hood had died and his mantle was taken up by his love, Maid Marian? And what if Margot Robbie was to play the lead role of Maid Marian?

The “Suicide Squad” star has been cast as the famous Robin Hood heroine, Marian. The story will be about the passing of Robin Hood and Marian picking up the pieces of his noble cause after his death.

Marian will continue to lead the Merry Men by stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. “Marian” will see the titular character becoming a legend of her own right in the process. The spin-off is, in someways, designed to serve as some sort of origin story to Maid Marian.

Having said that, Sony Pictures’ “Marian” shouldn’t be confused with Lionsgate’s upcoming reboot, “Robin Hood: Origins“, where Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx are starring as a young Robin Hood and Little John, respectively.

Right now, the 26-year-old actress is in the midst of filming the Tonya Harding biopic titled “I, Tonya” and will reprise her popular role as Harley Quinn again in “Gotham City Sirens“.


F.Y.I On Stage ft. Victor Kim, Andrew Garcia, & JR Aquino

YouTube has launched careers for many artistes today and it has a created a culture of loyal fans who subscribe to singers’ channels, follow them on social media, and help them rise to fame. With that in mind, local organizer M.E Malaysia created “F.Y.I On Stage (F.Y.I short for ‘Favorite YouTube Icons’)”, a series of events which will introduce and highlight talented YouTube artists.

The event aspires to bring high-profile YouTube sensations that has been at the forefront as an influential pioneer in utilizing new media with the hope that it inspires young people to pursue and live their dreams.

The first F.Y.I On Stage brings three popular Asian-American YouTube artists – Victor Kim, Andrew Garcia, and JR Aquino to Kuala Lumpur this November.

They were recently touring USA together as part of YTF, a group of performers comprised of the biggest celebrity entertainers from YouTube (one of which would be none other than Ryan Higa, who was here just a few months ago) and the social networking world. Watch Andrew give a HUGE shout out to all y’all:

[youtube id=”UiocK3HOEe4″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

M.E Malaysia are proud to invite these three outstanding talents to lead the two–hour sessions that celebrates their work while defining who they are and showcasing why they are an inspiration to millions of fans.

[youtube id=”pWtDedYhW3w” width=”600″ height=”350″]

They will be joined on stage by rising solo singer-songwriter Tedd Chan, local band Once Upon A Time There Was A Sausage Named Bob, and high-profile dance crew, Katoon Network.

Deets for the  event, dubbed “F.Y.I On Stage feat. Victor Kim, Andrew Garcia & JR Aquino in Kuala Lumpur” are as follows:

Venue: Chancellor Hall, Management and Science University (MSU), University Drive, Off Persiaran Olahraga, Section 13, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan

Ticketing: RM 95 (General Admission), RM 155 (VIP Pass with Autograph Session), RM 255 (Premium Pass with Pre-Show Meet & Greet and other benefits).

For further information on how to get your passes, log on to their Facebook page or e-mail enquiry2.me@hotmail.com.

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Why Did Justice League Underperform At The Box Office?

If you asked me three years ago, to predict how much “Justice League” would rake in, in its opening weekend in the US, I would’ve confidently said, Pfft, $US 180 million easy! Well, here we are, in 2017, four years after “Man of Steel”, and “Justice League” merely grossed $US 96 million. Some of y’all might be like, “You think $US 96 million is damn little is it?” I get it. 96 million bucks is more than I’ll ever make throughout my entire career as a part-time writer full-time gigolo (looks like the cat’s out of the bag now).

List of comic book movies opening weekend box office numbers in 2017.

Still think it made a lot of money? When the movie is called “Justice Mothereffing League” and has BATMAN, SUPERMAN, WONDER WOMAN, THE FLASH, CYBORG and AQUAMAN in it, and the only movie it beats is an R-rated Wolverine drama, boy you got a problem, especially when “Justice League” reportedly has three times the production budget of “Logan”.

Whether you love the movie or hate it, this is not the kind of numbers THIS movie should be hitting. And if the first thing that comes to your mind is “F**k the critics! Burn in hell Rotten Tomatoes”, then you need to get your head out of your ass. We’re talking about the opening weekend numbers here. If people wanted to watch this movie, they would’ve booked tickets three weeks ago, well before reviews were out. This box office result is the general masses going, “Meh. Who cares?”

Full disclosure: Though “Justice League” has a boatload of problems (which will be discussed in spoiler-full detail tomorrow), I thoroughly enjoyed the shit outta the movie. You can read my certified fresh, non-spoiler review here.

So, why didn’t people rush out to see some of the most popular comic book characters kickass on the big screen? Let’s take a walk down memory lane.

I’m not a big fan of the second act of “Man of Steel” (there is no third act. It’s just introduction and then a one-hour action scene), but the first hour of the film is excellent. It’s a Superman we’re not used to. He doesn’t smile. He isn’t full of hope. But why should he smile? He saved a bus full of his peers when he was a kid. His reward? His family being bombarded with questions from one of his peer’s mom. Why would he be hopeful, when he lived his whole life thinking his biological parents didn’t want him. A child cast away. It’s an interesting way of approaching this character.

The movie did decently at the box office, making $US 116.6 million opening weekend in the US and grossed $US 668 million at the global box office at the end of its run (“Iron Man” raked in $US 585 million at the global box office). But it was the most divisive movie of the year, even within the critics’ circle. The same can be said about the general masses. Many compared it to Richard Donner’s 1978 classic – Supes smiled a lot in that movie – while others were intrigued by Snyder’s new direction (and the fact that the Man of Steel learned how to put on his underwear the right way).

The franchise had potential. What we needed was a trilogy, or at least two movies, that focused on Superman eventually becoming the hopeful character he’s known to be. I truly believe that if Warner Bros committed to this, critics and fans who weren’t buying into Snyder’s modernized version of Superman, would come around once the arc plays out completely. Remember, the masses did not buy into “Batman Begins” either. “Batman Begins” only grossed $US 374 million worldwide, but the sequel, “The Dark Knight” grossed $US 1 billion.

We should have gotten “Man of Steel 2”, but instead, Warner Bros blew their load early and gave us:

Not only did we not need this movie, this fast, Warner Bros also went on to announce 257 other upcoming DCEU movies including a two-part “Justice League” movie. I don’t get it. Why did they feel the need to rush? Why did they feel the need to ‘catch up to Marvel’? Were the higher ups at WB worried about the much talked about Superhero fatigue? I don’t know about Superhero fatigue, but there will never, ever be GOOD MOVIES FATIGUE. As long as the stories being told are worth investing in, people will watch it, regardless if it’s superheroes, wizards, Jedi or medieval hobbits.

Well, whatever the reason, they rushed it. The DCEU did not need to follow the MCU structure per se. A Batman solo origin movie is unnecessary. The second movie in the DCEU could have featured Batman, but it should’ve been “Batman and Superman”, instead of “Batman V Superman”. This was purely cash-grab decision making.

Even so, people salivated at the idea that Batman and Superman would be sharing the big screen. The movie did phenomenal numbers opening weekend. At $US 166 million, “Batman V Superman” became the 9th highest opening weekend, in the US, of all time. Judging by its opening weekend numbers, this movie should have grossed a billion dollars at the global box office, easily. But it didn’t. Something happened.

Despite a strong start, fans did not watch this movie again and again. Not only that, the word of mouth by those who already watched the movie was bad, and the poor critical reception did not help matters either. As a result, most non-fans did not even bother catching this movie at all. At the end of its run, “Batman V Superman” grossed $US 873.2 million worldwide. A strong number, but not good enough for a movie called BATMAN V SUPERMAN.

The biggest problem with “Batman V Superman” (besides Martha), is the fact that the theatrical version of the movie did not make an ounce of sense. Martha will always be shit. Lois throwing the kryptonite spear away, only to try and get it back, only to almost die, only for Superman to save her, will always be SHIT. But at the very least, the “Batman V Superman Ultimate Edition” tells a cohesive story. And if you have not watched the Ultimate Edition, believe me when I say, it makes a HUGE difference. The “Lord of the Rings” movies have extended editions too. But you don’t NEED to watch the extended editions to fully comprehend and love that trilogy. You NEED to watch the extended edition of “Batman V Superman” to prevent your scalp from bleeding due to excessive head scratching.

Minor changes that would have made the world of difference (without removing the Martha scene).

Bigger ideas like calling a movie “Batman V Superman” or the death of Superman will work best if it happens later on in the franchise, once audiences are completely emotionally invested in these characters. Instead, we got the shorter version of a movie with 200 different ideas thrown in.

“Batman V Superman” needed to get the fans who were unsure about “Man of Steel” on board the train, but instead it made fans who enjoyed “Man of Steel” jump off the train and bid sayonara.

Then something worse happened… Much, much worse.

I remember enjoying “Suicide Squad” the first time watching. The performances are great across the board. Then I watched it the second time and a third time and Jesus Christ this movie is shit. How is this even a movie? “Suicide Squad” is nothing but 2 hours of Warner Bros executives taking turns to shit, while David Ayer records them shitting. Not sure what I expected, to be honest, considering the fact that Warner Bros took David Ayer’s raw footage and sent it to a trailer company to edit it and make it more “fun”.

Fun is the keyword here. A powerful virus that has infected the minds of the higher-ups at Warner Bros and is dragging our favourite DC characters through the mud. You see, the higher-ups at Warner Bros were (and still are) under the impression that the reason why “Batman V Superman” isn’t critically acclaimed and didn’t do well at the box office is because the movie isn’t fun.

As a result, they took David Ayer’s could-have-been-a-masterpiece-we’ll-never-know unfinished product and made it into a 90s hits music video. I’m giving Ayer the benefit of the doubt because he wrote and directed “End of Watch” and “Fury”. The man is talented. But whether it’s Ayer’s fault or WB’s fault, this movie is messier than a clogged toilet of a nightclub on a Friday night.

Why did Amanda Waller tell Task Force X to rescue ‘someone’ only for that ‘someone’ to be her? Why is Joker even in the movie? Why is Enchantress the villain? Why is Enchantress’ CGI worse than “Jaws 3D”? Why does Enchantress have a brother? OMG, why is Enchantress dancing?? Why are there awkward random jokes being thrown in? Why are there random hit songs playing?

WB was so desperate to make this movie ‘fun’ that they forgot that it’s more important to make this movie good.

Well news flash Warner Bros, people did not dislike “Batman V Superman” because the movie is dark. “The Dark Knight” is bloody dark and people love it. Heath Ledger even won an Oscar for his performance in it. “Logan” is dark and people love it. People dislike “Batman V Superman” because the theatrical version of the movie that most people actually watched, is an incoherent mess. And when a movie is a mess, having it dark and joyless makes it even more difficult to digest.

Think of it this way: It’s easier to get through a shitty fart joke comedy than a shitty somber drama. But it doesn’t change the fact that both are shit and people would much rather watch good movies, regardless of tone/genre. WB completely missed the point.

With “Justice League”, Warner Bros missed the point once again by tampering with it and making reactionary changes. The CEO of WB mandated a runtime under two hours. Seriously? WB looked at “Batman V Superman” and assumed people don’t like it because it’s long. Sure, critics did mention that the movie is long, but again it points back to storytelling. Cause remember, “Gone with the Wind” is four hours long and it’s still the highest grossing movie of all time (adjusted for inflation).

With both “Batman V Superman” and “Suicide Squad” being plagued by behind the scenes interference by studio executives, ruining the movies in the process, “Justice League” needed to be smooth sailing. It wasn’t. And it wasn’t exactly kept a secret either. Every day people read reports after reports that did nothing to boost our confidence in the product. From Ben Affleck wanting to leave, to Zack Snyder’s personal tragedy (unavoidable), to Zack Snyder’s original cut deemed unwatchable to Joss Whedon coming on board last minute for rewrites and reshoots. Hardcore comic book fans were going to rush out and see this movie anyway. But to the rest of the world, it wreaked of same old shit.

Hopefully, with the underperforming “Justice League” box office numbers, WB will finally realize that the problem with most DCEU movies isn’t FUN vs NOT FUN. It’s not about Snyder’s colour palette. It’s not about how long the movies are. It’s about telling good stories. It’s about giving us well rounded, well-explored characters. Funny thing is, WB does not have to look far to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just look at “Wonder Woman” for crying out loud. That movie is a near-masterpiece.

Note: “Justice League” did do pretty well outside of the US, grossing $US 185 million. That is no small feat. We’ll just have to wait and see how the movie does overall, in the coming weeks.

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

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#JangMoonBok: “Produce 101” Contestant To Drop Single On 20th July

Jang Moon Bok (장문복) is going to release a new single!

Titled “Let’s Walk Together”, this is the “Produce 101” contestant’s first release since “Check” in November 2016. His label, ONO Entertainment, has also confirmed that the track will be released on 20th July.

Prior to joining “Produce 101” season 2, Jang auditioned for Mnet’s “Superstar K” (슈퍼스타 K) in 2010. During his participation, he was given the nickname “hip hop president” due to his passion for rap. But unlike most K-Rappers (most notably BIGBANG’s T.O.P.), the 23-year-old Jang has a high-pitched rapping voice. It was also revealed that he had lived with rapper Outsider’s family for 3 years.

Known for his ridiculously luscious long hair, the rapper is currently the ambassador for L’Oreal Paris’ “Total Repair 5 Instant Miracle Hair Pack”. Besides that, he is scheduled to appear on various shows like “SNL Korea 9” and “Get It Beauty 2017” soon.

Aside from Jang, “Produce 101” participants Im Young Min and Kim Dong Hyun (from Brand New Music) will be debuting as a unit and their first single is slated for release in late August.

What do you think “Let’s Walk Together” will sound like? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Sources: Soompi (1)(2), All Kpop / Featured image: Soompi.


5 Of Our Favourite War-Inspired Films Of All Time

We’ve seen and heard a great deal of warfare over the cross of human history. Ranging from biblical times to World War II to Vietnam and more, they have been used as inspiration for movies. Throughout the years, we’ve been presented with plenty of films regarding warfare. Be it fictional or non-fictional, themes explored in war films include combat, survivor, escape stories, tales of sacrifice, effects of war on society, so on and so forth.

Angelina Jolie recently tried her hand at directing a war film “Unbroken” – a tale about Olympian Louis Zamperini surviving World War II. Jolie’s “Unbroken” led to us rewatching some really good war based films from the golden days as well as from the modern day. That being said, we’ve decided come up with a list featuring some of our favourite war films:

“Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don’t.” – Oskar Schindler.

Directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg, “Schindler’s List” is probably one of Spielberg’s best work. Using harsh, brutal realism to deliver his powerful points about racism and ethnic cleaning, this 1993 gem had and will always leave movie buffs in awe.

Also, its fabulous black-and-white photography as well as hand-held camera footage gives the film a strong documentary feel.

“Music was his passion, survival was his masterpiece.”

Starring Adrien Brody and Thomas Kretschmann, “The Pianist” is the adaptation of Władysław Szpilman’s autobiography “The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man’s Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945”. Featuring old-fashioned visuals and narrative, director Roman Polanski delivers his finest job with “The Pianist”.

Raw, emotional, heart-wrenching, the movie also brought out the best in Adrien Brody.

Starring Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Christoph Waltz, and Mélanie Laurent, “Inglourious Basterds” was a made up off bits and pieces of World War II. Delirious entertaining featuring classic Quentin Tarantino touches, the movie is definitely the director’s most exhilarating and hilarious work since “Pulp Fiction” (1994).

An intimate story to the sweep of history spattered with gore, “Saving Private Ryan” is yet another one of Steven Spielberg’s brilliant works. Graphic and realistic, the film features, what is dubbed the “greatest combat sequence ever” and will make you well up like a baby.

Seriously, prepare a box of tissues when watching.

Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” will go down in the books for being one of the best (if not the best) film about the war in Iraq. Rising above the political slop surrounding Iraq, Bigelow goes straight to the bone with “The Hurt Locker” delivering the hard, bloody reality of war without emotional acts of war heroism.

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Introducing, The Royal RM1127 Toast

Are you a blueblood wondering how you can make a quick buck or two (not that you need to if you were indeed royalty)? Do you have left over breakfast, oh you know, just lying around?

Rosemarie Smith from London, whose daughter work for the royal family for nearly three decades, decided to sell a slice of toast at an auction for 230 pounds (RM1127). And not just any random slice of toast. The humble scrap was left over from the breakfast table of Britain’s Prince Charles on his wedding day to the late Princess Diana.

Apparently, Rosemarie has been keeping the “memento” on her shelf in a cup when it came to be in her possession after a visit to the palace one day.

“At the time, my daughter was a maid at the palace and one of her duties was to collect Prince Charles’ breakfast tray from outside his room. I was with her in the corridor and saw that Prince Charles had left some toast on the tray. I had been thinking about a keepsake from the wedding and saw the toast and thought to myself, why not?”, she said in an official statement.

“We hadn’t talked about it much down the years but William and Kate’s wedding last year and then the Queen’s Jubilee has made the royals more popular than ever. That got me thinking that my toast could be worth a bit of money. I just wandered into the auctioneers out of curiosity and asked them if it was worth anything. I was pleasantly surprised to hear them agree with me that it could be of quite some value to royal collectors”, she added.

The toast was sold by auctioneers Hansons to a UK buyer, althought there hasn’t been any means or ways to prove that the toast was really from Prince Charles’ wedding table.

By the way, the then-fairytale wedding took place in 1981. Gosh. We shudder to imagine what the toast must look like by now.


Tourists Flock To An Erupting Mount Agung For Instagram Photos

About a week ago, both locals and tourists in Bali were shocked by the eruption of Mount Agung, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes, hundreds of flights to be cancelled, and resulting in the closure of both Bali and Lombok airports.

While many flocked to safety to stay away from the volcanic debris, a number of Instagrammers decided to use this opportunity to take a once-in-a-lifetime photo with the volcano in the background.

Here are some of the snaps found on Instagram:

A post shared by Karina.Kapris Dubai (@karina.kapris)

A post shared by Info Travelling (@infotravelling_)


Paris Jackson Attempts Suicide, Hospitalized

The pressure of testifying in the high-stakes legal showdown over Michael Jackson’s death drove 15-year-old Paris Jackson to attempt suicide by slitting her wrist, sources close to the family told the Daily News.

The King of Pop’s only daughter is due to take the stand by the end of the month in the wrongful-death lawsuit pitting the Jackson family against the promoter of his doomed run of concerts, AEG. But the worldwide attention and the millions of dollars on the line were too much for Paris, a source said.

She’s just a wreck. She was getting more and more emotional about having to take the stand as the day gets closer. This is a plea for help. She is broken.

Just yesterday, Michael Jackson’s only daughter posted some rather cryptic tweets:

Meanwhile, E! News reports that Paris Jackson was rushed to a hospital early Wednesday morning after a possible overdose. According to the LAPD, the teenager was taken out of her Calabasas family home on a stretcher at approximately 1:30 am and taken to a nearby hospital via ambulance.

They also claimed that a Jackson family source told them that Paris “attempted suicide this morning. She’s been dealing with depression”.

Perry Sanders Jr., an attorney for Paris’ grandmother Katherine Jackson wrote in a statement to The Associated Press that the 15-year-old daughter of Michael Jackson is getting appropriate medical attention and the family is seeking privacy:

Being a sensitive 15 year old is difficult no matter who you are. It is especially difficult when you lose the person closest to you. Paris is physically fine and is getting appropriate medical attention. Please respect her privacy and the family’s privacy.

Whichever it may be (overdose or cutting/slitting wrist) and for whatever reason, let’s wish Paris a speedy recovery. Stay strong, Paris!

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#xXx3: Donnie Yen Rocks The Bulked Up Bod For “xXx: The Return of Xander Cage”

A wise man by the name of Bruce Lee once said, “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.”

That is the inspirational quote found in one of Donnie Yen’s (甄子丹) shirtless Instagram pictures and it’s apparently a motto the actor believes in. Judging from his workout photos, the Chinese actor seems to be showing that anything is possible as long as you persevere and never give up.

A photo posted by Donnie Yen (@donnieyenofficial) on May 15, 2016 at 12:22pm PDT

In case you didn’t know, Donnie and his fellow cast members have been busy filming the 3rd instalment of “xXx”, titled “xXx: The Return of Xander Cage”. In the sequel, Donnie stars as Xiang, an alpha warrior who is at odds with Xander Cage, an athlete-turned-government agent played by Vin Diesel.

To prepare for his role, the 52-year-old movie star went through a rigorous training regime and strict diet to build more muscles to get into shape. The actor has also been avoiding carbs, as well as cutting down on salt, sugar, and starch in his diet. Looking at the gym snapshots, the mixed martial artist was successful in achieving the ideal male physique.

“I haven’t had a good meal in a while. But my willpower overcame my hunger. I’m almost 53 years old! I am the only Chinese actor in this film, so I can’t lose to the others!” said Donnie in an interview with a Hong Kong media outlet.

To quote Jayne Stars’ Addy, diet and biological differences generally makes it harder for Asians to build muscle mass. But the Hong Kong martial arts actor was determined to be on par with his co-stars in the action flick. “Chinese stars can rival foreign actors, as long as you put in the extra effort. We can do it, despite our age,” said Donnie.

“Many people tend to give up after coming face to face with an obstacle, but I managed to get past that. I want to tell everyone here, including my children, that we must have confidence, determination, and willpower in order to achieve success. Being too tired or having no time are just excuses. If I can do it, so can you,” he added.

A photo posted by Donnie Yen (@donnieyenofficial) on May 15, 2016 at 12:15pm PDT

See those guns? Heed his advice Asian bros, and maybe you too can get a hot bod like Donnie.

“xXx: The Return of Xander Cage” is slated for release on 20th January 2017.


#TyphoidOutbreak: Is The Suria KLCC Food Court A No-Go Zone?

On Monday (19th October 2015), it was reported that Malaysia is currently facing a Typhoid fever outbreak as cases are on a rise in Kuala Lumpur. As such, the Malaysian Health Ministry has urged public to pay attention to the level of cleanliness at shops they frequently visit, including the cleanliness of the staff and the food being served.

Naturally, soon after the announcement, Malaysians became more paranoid about the general hygiene of places they frequent and food they eat. Messages started circulating on social media with regards to places to avoid, including the Suria KLCC food courts.

As seen in the screenshot above, the message urged people to stay away from the KLCC food court, amongst other locations. There were also rumours that KLCC’s food courts were among the areas that were under inspection for typhoid.

But Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd was quick to respond to the rumours and have since denied that its food courts are being monitored by the Health Ministry due to the recent typhoid outbreak.

According to The Star Online, Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd’s public relations and communications manager Fartini Zaharuddin said on Wednesday (21st October 2015) that according to the statement made by the Health Ministry, Suria KLCC was not listed as an affected area.

“Our food operators adhere to our stringent International food quality and safety standards, and are in compliance with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system,” she said. She also added that Suria KLCC places high priority on the safety and well being of its visitors, customers, retail partners and employees.

Moral of the story? Especially in times like these, don’t blindly believe just about anything or everything that you read on social media.

Go here for ways to prevent and avoid the typhoid fever.

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Hype’s OnSite: Bii Delivers High Energy First Solo Concert In Malaysia

“Hello, everyone! I am Bii 畢書盡. This is my first time holding a solo concert in Malaysia, so I am a little nervous right now.”

Taiwanese-Korean singer Bii could not shake off his nervousness when he was on the stage of his first overseas solo concert in Malaysia. Titled “Bii My Love”, the concert was held on Saturday (21st March) evening at Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur. The 25-year-old singer, who released his latest album “Action Bii” last year, had been working very hard for the concert as he frequently visited the practice room for rehearsals.

Fortunately, his hard work paid off when the concert venue was filled with both local and overseas fans. Not to mention, various local celebrities and radio personalities were there to support him too. The concert was well equipped with a powerful PA system and lighting rig, but the absence of the stage extension made it slightly harder for fans to enjoy the concert. Of course, it didn’t matter for the hardcore fans as they became mesmerised by his powerful vocals and slick dance moves.

Bii kicked off his solo concert by performing “你在ㄍㄧㄥ什麼? (Baby Don’t)”, a song he composed but was accused of plagiarism because it sounded similar to CNBLUE‘s “I’m Sorry”. The singer previously revealed during a press conference that since both songs shared the same pop-rock genre, the similarities were inevitable. He then surprised the audience by performing a remix of his own song “Feel Good” and Justin Timberlake’s “Like I Love You”. Considering how rare it was for him to perform an English song during a concert, the performance definitely came as a surprise for most of the fans.

Swoon! #Bii just performed Bruno Mars’ #WhenIWasYourMan at his solo concert in Malaysia :D #BiiMyLoveLiveInMalaysia #BiiMyLove

A video posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Mar 21, 2015 at 5:56am PDT

After he performed “Bellucia” and “Xie Gei Ni De Ge (写给你的歌)”, he once again surprised his fans by performing his own rendition of “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars. Though he mispronounced some of the lyrics, he managed to get the crowd to sing along to the song.

Born and raised in Korea by his mother, Bii had a hard time growing up as he had to speak in both Korean and Mandarin. But it was nonetheless essential for him as he was able to showcase his multilingual ability during the concert. He performed his own rendition of Japanese rock band One OK Rock’s “Whenever You Are” and his own Korean song “The Breeze” too.

Having promoted their albums in Malaysia last November, Dino Lee 李玉璽 and Ian Chen 陳彥允 fulfilled their promises and returned to Malaysia to guest perform at Bii’s concert. Hailing all the way from Taiwan, Dino and Ian emerged onstage to perform some of their hit singles including “Fang Xia Lu Xing (放下, 旅行)”, “Ji Yin Jue Ding Wo Ai (基因決定我愛你)”, “Revolution”, and so on.

They weren’t the only guest performers of the night, of course.

Towards the end of the concert, Malaysian-born singer Andrew Tan 陳勢安 made a surprise appearance onstage to perform “Shi Zai Bi Xing (势在必行)” with Bii. Although Andrew only came onstage for 3 songs, he was greeted with rapturous response from the fans. Both of them reunited with Dino and Ian to perform as a band called “Four Knights Of Eagle Music”. Taiwanese-born singer Miu Chu 朱俐靜, who was the only female guest performer of the night, then joined them to perform “Everything Changes”.

The highlight of the concert was when Bii performed Hyuna and Hyunseung’s “Trouble Maker” with Miu. Fans screamed in jealousy and excitement as both Bii and Miu shared various intimate moments onstage. After a short break, Miu re-joined Bii and Andrew onstage to perform “Tian Hou (天后)”.

Much to the delight of the audience, Bii also offered a brand new song called “B-A-B-Y”. He jokingly explained that the word “B-A-B-Y” is also an abbreviation of  “Bii Always Be Yours”. The song will most likely appear on Bii’s upcoming album, but it is unclear when he will release it.

A new band called “Lao Ding” made their debut at Bii’s concert too and together with Bii, they mesmerised the audience through the live acoustic version of Bii’s ballads including “I Wanna Say”, “By My Side”, “Zhuan Shen Zhi Hou”, and so on.

Before closing the show with a slew of confetti, Bii thanked his fans for attending his concert. “I don’t feel anything during rehearsals, so I didn’t expect myself to cry tonight, ” he said with tears rolling in his eyes. He also hoped that no matter how old he is, fans would still come to his concert and support him. Fans were spotted holding up the white banner that read, “Bii, thank you for singing for us” during the encore session. They then held up the red banner that read, “Bii Together, Bii Forever” when he was performing “Ni Gei Wo De Ai (你给我的爱)”.

“Bii My Love Live In Malaysia” Set List:

Special thanks to Universal Music Malaysia Chinese for inviting us to the concert, organised by Click Entertainment and presented by Unispace.

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more live concert updates.

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Netflix’s The Prom Review: A Disappointment On The Dance Floor

Who doesn’t love a good musical? Soulless ghouls, that’s who! The spectacle of heightened reality. The spontaneous (if not contagious) breakout of fantastical dance choreography. Oh, and the relentless diegetic earworms that beg for the whole soundtrack album to be bought. Some of the finest of these can be found in the quintessential Broadway musical. A culture that has a fine tradition of making both highly entertaining and deeply provocative works of art in the name of progress.

For those who can’t afford a ticket, both in the air and in front of a stage, the next best thing is film or TV adaptations. They are the high arts made accessible to the regular joes. Think Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s “Hairspray” or Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America”. Two great examples of rich, textured Broadway musicals adapted for the common man.

Sometimes, the medium of polish studio production works to the source material’s advantage. “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” was made for the silver screen. Other times, they should have been left on stage. Looking at you “Cats”. So where does Netflix’s adaptation of “The Prom” fit in the Broadway adaptation canon? Simply put, it belongs in the bargain bin. While we’ve never watched the original theatre show, we can wholeheartedly attest to the sheer mediocrity of its film adaptation. It isn’t even the fun kind of awful, it’s just bland bad. The kind you can’t even brag about watching.

The plot of “The Prom” mostly follows the story of Meryl Streep’s Dee Dee Allen and James Corden’s Barry Gleckman. Two washed-up Broadway stars looking to revitalise their public image through the plight of one Emma Nolan, a lesbian high school student who was not allowed to go to the prom with her girlfriend. Though her principal played by Keegan-Michael Key is supportive of Nolan, PTA head Ms Greene and her army of conservatives aren’t having it. So Allen, Gleckman alongside two other jaded actors decide to crusade on behalf of  Nolan. Along the way, what started as a vainglorious project becomes a genuine cause for the four of them. The town of Indiana is about to have their first LGBT inclusive prom!

There is nothing subtle or meaningful about “The Prom” or its premise. In spite of the film’s holier-than-thou-art air, it has surprisingly little to say about the LGBT community or the issues that plague it. Where films like “Moonlight” dare address the painful reality of violence and dehumanisation of sexual minorities in intercity communities, “The Prom” reaches for the lowest hanging fruit.

The archetypal story of “brave” social rebels battling against the bigoted and ignorant religious conservatives. It didn’t fly in “Freeheld” and it certainly doesn’t work here. If anything, it comes off as trite and unbearably sanctimonious. The film is the musical personification of liberal, white privilege. They might as well have called it “First World Problems: The Musical”.

To be fair, the film does try to call out the vapidity of faux-activism. It doesn’t take long though for the film to abandon its critique by having these well-to-do New York elites turn into Nolan’s fairy-god parents. They might as well be seeing that some of the performances here are painfully cartoonish. The most egregious offenders are Streep and Corden. Look up the word “over-acting” and you’ll see these two in a thesaurus.

While we get that “The Prom” is meant to be a musical comedy, we can’t help but feel that the humour undercuts any real dramatic stakes here. The flimsy premise and tone-deaf writing is bad enough but now you make us endure Corden’s agonising brand of comedy? Have you learned nothing from 2019’s “Cats”! Stop putting him in films, we beg of you.

Nicole Kidman does a decent enough job of playing a believable human being, though the dialogue given to her does her a great disservice. Keegan Michael-Key’s performance as the likeable Principal Hawkins feels hampered as well. Occasionally, the comedian’s charisma makes “The Prom” slightly more watchable. Surprisingly enough, the greener cast members add some redeeming qualities to the film. Yes, Jo Ellen Pellman does play your typical adorkable social outcast but she wears it well. Her romance with Ariana DeBose’s Alyssa Greene does make for some sweet moments, even it does border on melodrama at times.

Then, there’s the music. There’s a rule when it comes to good storytelling: show, don’t tell. Some of the most thematically resonant pieces of art are often the kind that allows the audience to interpret the meaning for themselves. Sometimes, they’ll line up perfectly with the author’s intent. Other times, they may see a divergent perspective. That’s part of the fun and beauty of art. “The Prom”, however, does not embrace this approach. Instead, it chooses to simply spell out its message with zero ambiguity in its music.

Songs like “Changing Lives” and “Dance with You” are the stuff of freshman performing art students. Lyrically infantile with forgettable composition. The most irritating one has got to be “Love Thy Neighbour”. Ironically enough, it’s a painfully preachy number about religious hypocrisy that feels like it belongs in a children’s show. That being said, there is some mindless fun to be had with the film’s finale number “It’s Time to Dance”. Listening to it, you can’t help but feel major “We’re All in This Together” vibes. “High School Musical” fans will know what we’re talking about.

For all of the film’s good intentions, Netflix’s “The Prom” proves to be an utterly ineffectual, if not joyless, affair. Its story is as generic and pathetic as its cast performances, trading any potential depth for cheap, commercial catharsis. As a musical, it is woefully juvenile in its conception. As a comedy, its efforts are laughable. Ultimately, “The Prom” is a very expensive pat on the back for faux activists and liberal elites everywhere. Cheap lip-service to a cause that should demand higher standards and greater quality in its representation.

“The Prom” is now streaming on Netflix but if you’re looking for a proper musical to satisfy that Broadway fix, we strongly recommend you check out “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey”.


Sex Maniac Caught Recording Videos Of Women At Tesco Supermarket

A man was caught in the act by a married couple after he was found committing a sexual offence at a Tesco (soon-to-be rebranded as Lotus’s) mart in Kedah.

In a post shared by Facebook page Redaksi.com, the husband, Mohamad Nizam, revealed that he went out shopping with his wife and their son at the hypermarket, when this episode took place.

“While I was busy entertaining my kid who wanted to buy chocolates, my wife suddenly came and whispered something to me. She informed me there was a man wearing a green shirt behaving strangely while holding his phone close to the backside of a woman,” Nizam wrote.

Curious, the duo then proceeded to follow the perpetrator around to investigate on what that man was up to. Nizam added, “As soon as we reached the baby’s department, the man could be seen attempting to record another woman. So what else? We ambushed him!”

“Luckily, I learned how to grab someone’s neck after watching Khabib (Nurmagomedov) on UFC. I locked his hands from behind before grabbing his neck. He was struggling to run away. My wife then snatched his phone away, and she saw there were a lot of recordings (of women) he took,” the FB user continued. Without wasting any time, the couple then lodged a report to the supermarket management and the police.

The story didn’t end there, guys! In the social media post, Nizam also dished that he went to a police station to give his statement after helping to arrest the sexual offender. Finally, Nizam reminded everyone, particularly girls out there, to cover and preserve their aurat (intimate parts). “This fella has his own group, he might be selling all of his lewd clips there. There are a lot of psychotic sex maniacs lurking around,” he concluded his post.

Many netizens have since flooded the comments section by praising Nizam and his wife for their impressive efforts in exposing the culprit’s dirty deeds. They also reminded each other to be aware of such predators.

Just last month, a foreigner from Myanmar was caught red-handed for sexually harassing children and female joggers at a recreational park in Cyberjaya. Get the full scope here.

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#GhostInTheShell: First Image Of ScarJo As The Major In Live-Action Film Released

About a year ago, it was announced that Scarlett Johansson cinched a lead role in the Western adaptation of the iconic cyberpunk manga and anime series, “Ghost in the Shell”(攻殻機動隊 Kōkaku Kidōtai, literally “Mobile Armored Riot Police”).

And now that production is officially underway, Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures have released the first image from the live-action film.

“Ghost in the Shell” tells the story of a fictional counter-cyberterrorist organisation Public Security Section 9, led by main protagonist Major Motoko Kusanagi, in the mid 21st century of Japan.

The series has had various film adaptations, starting with the 1995 film produced by animation studio Production I.G. An alternate story of the manga and the film was told in the TV adaptation that features Section 9’s investigations of government corruption in various incidents.

DreamWorks principal Steven Spielberg had always wanted to turn it into a film and in 2008, he acquired the rights to adapt it into a live-action film. According to /FILM, the movie will based on the original manga, rather than the adaptations that followed.

Scarlett Johansson plays special ops cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi aka The Major who leads Section 9 and is devoted to taking on the most dangerous cyber criminals. The official synopsis for the film is as follows:

“Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, ‘Ghost in the Shell’ follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.”

Starring alongside Scarlett Johansson are Takeshi Kitano as Section 9 chief Daisuke Aramaki, Michael Pitt as Kuze; Pilou Asbæk as the Major’s second-in-command Batou, Juliette Binoche as Dr. Ouelet, Kaori Momoi in an unnamed role, and Chin Han, Danusia Samal, Yutaka Izumihara, and Tuwanda Manyimo as various members of Section 9.

“Ghost in the Shell” is currently in production in New Zealand as we speak. Helmed by “Snow White and the Huntsman” director Rupert Sanders, “Ghost in the Shell” is expected to be released on 31st March 2017.

Sources: IGN, io9, /FILM / Featured image from /FILM.


Hype’s Must Watch: Legend

If you’re still reeling from the teaser trailer of “Legend“, well, be prepared to fall for Tom Hardy again.

The “Mad Max: Fury Road“ actor is making another big screen appearance through this upcoming London crime thriller film based on the infamous Kray twins. As you may have guessed, he’s playing both gangster twins, Ronnie and Reggie.

Directed and written by Brian Helgeland, “Legend” is produced by Cross Creek Pictures and Working Title. The movie marks Helgeland’s return to adapted screenplays in the genre of crime since the release of 1997’s “L.A. Confidential”.

It is based on “The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins”, a “true crime” biography written by John Pearson. The book is an account of the rise and fall of the Kray twins, who hired the author to write their biography back in 1967. Their story was then adapted into a movie in 1990, which was directed by Peter Medak.

In this new movie adaptation, the story will follow Reggie Kray, who seeks to control the psychotic tendencies of his twin, Ronnie. The official synopsis is as follows:

From Academy Award winner Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River) comes the true story of the rise and fall of London’s most notorious gangsters, Reggie and Ron Kray, both portrayed by Tom Hardy in an amazing double performance. Legend is a classic crime thriller taking us into the secret history of the 1960s and the extraordinary events that secured the infamy of the Kray twins.

Emily Browning, Colin Morgan, David Thewlis, Christopher Eccleston, Chazz Palminteri, Tara Fitzgerald, and “Kingsman” star Taron Egerton are starring in the film too.

“Legends” is slated for release in the UK on 11th September 2015 and in the US on 2nd October 2015.

For more updates, visit the movie’s official Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram.

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(UPDATE) #RedVelvet: Promo For Comeback Begins; Teasers For “The Velvet” Released

March is certainly looking good for K-Pop fans because SM Entertainment’s idol girl group Red Velvet (레드벨벳) is ready to make a comeback.

In September last year, Red Velvet made a triumphant return with their first full-length album, “The Red“. Since then, they’ve been kept busy with heavy promotions for the title track, “Dumb Dumb“, an uptempo pop song with an addictive hook. “The Red” allowed the girls to show off their vivid and bold image.

Rumours of a Red Velvet comeback first surfaced when the girls were spotted different hair colours at the 5th Gaon K-POP Chart Awards. Some eagle-eyed Netizens also pointed out that Wendy and Yeri had very unnatural-looking hairstyles, fuelling suspicions that they were wearing wigs to prevent any spoilers for the fans.

Not too long ago, a rep from SM Entertainment revealed that the group recently wrapped up filming a music video for a new song. The rep also said that Red Velvet was aiming for a March comeback.

And it looks like the girls are right on track because a couple of comeback teaser were just released! Their website was updated with a couple of images – of Yeri wearing a pink dress, Yeri sitting on a bed with soft peach/pink covers, and a poster with details of “The Velvet”.

They may or may not be pursuing a “softer” concept this time around (as compared to “The Red”) judging from the first round of teaser images. Also, as seen in the posters, Red Velvet is expected to release “The Velvet” on 16th March (Wednesday).

A post shared by Red Velvet Official (@redvelvet.smtown)

It is not known as of yet how many songs will be included in the album, but we’ll keep stalking them/their Instagram for more information :)

Source: Koreaboo, soompi (1), soompi (2).


Hype Eats: Daring Fusion Food In The Klang Valley This Week (22nd August – 28th August)

Feeling adventurous? Get ready to leave your everyday planned meals at home and dine out instead. Bring your family and friends along, and don’t be afraid to try new things.

Challenge your palate spectrum and prepare to be introduced to some of the finest and novel fusion food Klang Valley has to offer. In this week’s Hype Eats, discover sourdough bread with coconut jam and butter in PJ, braised lamb shank masala in Batang Kali, or even be served Sichuan DanDan noodles by robots!

Location: 29, Jalan SS 4C/5, Taman Rasa Sayang, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

It might appear to be a hipster café, but that is not the case at all! This newly opened eatery with a stunning interior offers coffee and pork-free traditional kopitiam dishes such as Hainanese chicken chop, nasi lemak, and more. They also offer crafted pastries such as coconut jam & butter sourdough, perfect for your iced cappuccino or white coffee! Check out their Facebook or Instagram page now for updates.

A post shared by ShowMian (@showmian.my)

Time: 11am – 3pm, 5pm – 9pm (Monday to Saturday) / 11am – 3pm (Sunday)

Location: G12 Grand Subang Jaya, Jalan SS 15/8A, SS 15 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Time to get down to Sichuan DanDan noodles at ShowMian! Prepared by the first robotic kitchen restaurant in Malaysia, it brings preciseness and speed to its noodles. In addition, the noodles are known to be made from special ingredients such as spices from Southern China, homemade chilli oil, and Chinese wine pork for a delicious and unique dining experience. Try it for yourself now, and visit here for additional information.

A post shared by Kejap Food (@kejapfood)

Location: 13, Lorong 8/1D, Seksyen 8, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

A fast-food place that serves local dishes? At KejapFood, you can get roti canai, nasi lemak, curry puff, teh tarik float, and more at the speed of other fast food restaurants! It also oversees drive-thru outlets that serve the same delectable local food. Head here now to check out the menu!

A post shared by TERMINAL 1 BATANG KALI (@trmnl_1)

Location: Lot 2026, Jalan Batang Kali Genting 44300 Batang Kali, Selangor.

TERMINAL 1 operates with a chef who has 30 years of experience in the culinary industry and has served the Brunei Royal family. The restaurant’s range of fusion dishes such as smoked ostrich masak lemak cili api (spicy coconut milk with turmeric) and smoked duck with orange sauce. For reservations, you can reach out to terminal1.yb@gmail.com or 013 289 9281. For more details, go here.

A post shared by McDonald’s (@mcdonaldsmalaysia)

Location: All McCafé outlets nationwide.

Cool off with McDonald’s Ice Blended Series! It comes with three flavours now: strawberry, mango peach, and the latest flavour, lychee berry. So head to your nearest McCafé and enjoy the refreshing sensation with a sip of the ice blended!

Besides enjoying all the mooncake goodness this season, Grand Hyatt KL’s signature restaurant, Thirty8, has curated a special Mid Autumn menu which can be enjoyed over the next 2 weeks. This menu starts off with a plate of Steamed Scallop (with glass noodle) and Chili Smoked Duck Breast that has some spiciness to it. There’s also a hearty bowl of double-boiled Fish Maw soup and Steamed Tiger Grouper Fillet. Do also remember to make space for a flavorful plate of Wok Fried Rice and  the Instagrammable chilled Taro dessert.

Anis Sharina contributed to this article.

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