Avatar: The Way Of Water Experiences at Changi Airport T3 and Jewel Changi

James Cameron's long awaited Avatar sequel opened in theatres last week, and the movie has been raking lots of moolah at the international box office. With a US box office opening weekend taking of USD 134 million, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER even topped his first AVATAR movie, the which world's highest-grossing movie of all time, as well as 2022's box office champ TOP GUN: MAVERICK. Not that anyone is remotely surprised by all this.

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER has a bladder-busting running time of 3 hours and 12 minutes, but that did not stop fans from flocking to the theatres to immersed themselves into another adventure in Pandora.

To bring the world of Pandora to life, Changi Airport Terminal 3 and Jewel Changi have a few amazing experiences for movie fans to enjoy.

SG Toy Con 2022 (16 to 18 December) - A Shopping Haven For Local Toy Model Collectors

The SG Toy Con is the event that toy model collectors have been waiting for. The marketplace, organised by Masterpiece Collectibles and Toyz Network, returns for the 2nd year.

SG Toy Con specialises in resin and diecast toy transport and vehicle models, like buses, cars and airplanes. The event runs from now till tomorrow, Sunday (16 to 18 December 2022) at Visual Arts Centre, Dhoby Ghaut. So, if you are into such collectibles, you still have time to head down to the venue!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 - What To See And Do This Weekend (10 & 11 December)

Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) will open its doors at Sands Expo & Convention Centre this weekend, 10 & 11 December 2022, from 10 AM to 8 PM! The hottest, vibiest pop-culture party of the year is spread over two levels this year at Level 1 and Basement 1.

This may be the first time you will be attending SGCC. Or, maybe you are short of time and do not managed to work out your convention strategy yet. Don't worry. Red Dot Diva offers five suggestions of what you can and do at the convention!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Interview - Multi-Disciplinary Artist Quinatasya and Her Unique Creative Vision

Are you counting down to Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) 2022, the pop-culture event of the year? Personally, Red Dot Diva cannot wait to walk through the show floor at Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 10 & 11 December 2022. She is all ready to stalk the guests, prowl Artist Alley, and most of all, yak with the geek community after two long years!

There are so many convention guests this year, even more than previous shows. On the SGCC 2022 guest list is locally based multi-disciplinary and award winning artist, Quinatasya Afridi. Quinatasya has a unique way of visualising neuroanatomical structures and incorporating them into her art, including unforgettable renditions of well-known pop-culture figures, like Batman and Neil Gaiman. She is also a co-founder of a media agency called Ohai Media, a creative video production company, which names Ferrari, Cartier, Harper's Bazaar and National Arts Counctil in their portfolio.

Red Dot Diva had the chance to ask Quinatasya's some nosy questions, and the multimedia creator's curious, tenacious and vibrant personality was evident in her answers. Here's how the interview unfolded:

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Artist Highlight - Creative Sibling Team Up Lunaliliputian and Yumu Arts

Only 5 more days to Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC). This year, the show is an in-person event after a two year-break due to Covid-19. Held at Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 10 & 11 December 2022, and taking up 2 floors (Level 1 and B2) this year, SGCC is set to light the fire of pop-culture fans out there.

At the convention's Artist Alley, look out for two artistic sisters who create artwork and craft items under their own brand names. Desiree Chaw aka Lunaliliputian makes lovely and sparkly accessories and has acquired a sizeable fanbase for her collection. Marina Chaw aka Yumu_Arts draws emotive art pieces which are inspired mostly by nature. She also handcrafts cute dolls.

Sisterhood is a unique kind of bond, and the two of them have been boothing together at different shows on many occasions. Red Dot Diva was interested to know how more about Desiree and Marina, and their respective artistic journeys. So, here's an interview with the creative and talented siblings:

The Hulks Smash Into Bugis Junction - She-Hulk Light Projection Show

Capitaland has been spreading the festive cheer with Disney-themed installations called “From Our Family To Yours” at their 16 malls around Red Dot Island. Besides the workshops, events and shopping deals, there are decor consisting of characters from Disney, Star wars, Marvel and Pixar.

Bugis Junction is host to the Hulks from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The Hulk in rage mode stands guard in between two Christmas trees. From 26 November to 4 December 2022, the mall had a fun, kooky light projection show to promote the Disney+ series, SHE-HULK: ATTORNEY AT LAW.

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Artist Highlight - Edison Neo, The Brains Behind Martial Arts Comic ‘Snake Claws’

Tick, tick, tick. The clock's ticking down to Singapore Comic Con (SGCC), which will be happening at will return to Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay on 10 & 11 December 2022.

Ahhhhh! Mild panic setting in. Red Dot Diva does not feel that she is quite prepared for the pop-culture convention of the year. Are you all set for the comic con already?

For the second installment of the SGCC 2022 Artist Highlight interview series, Red Dot Diva is pleased to introduce local cartoonist Edison Neo. Edison has self-published comics like the martial art rouser SNAKE CLAWS as well as the anthology entitled NO-BRAINER.

After reading SNAKE CLAWS, Red Dot Diva has been kicking herself as to why she has not gotten to know Edison sooner. His artwork and storylines are wildly exuberant, and funny as hell. Well, Red Dot Diva cannot make any more excuses now. This is because she has asked Edison a list of nosy questions, a number of which are about SNAKE CLAWS!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Artist Highlight - Filipino Illustrator Bea Gomez aka BlueToaster

It is just two more weeks to Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) (previously known as Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention), the island's pop-culture event of the year! The comic convention, featuring over local and international 40 guests (Red Dot Diva is beginning to lose count!) and 350 exhibitors, will return to Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay on 10 & 11 December 2022.

Having a slew of renown guests appearing at SGCC is exciting for sure. However, Red Dot Diva has a soft spot for what used to be called “Artist Alley”. This segment of the exhibition show floor, filled with booths from aspiring artist, craters and writers to well-known one, is the indie heartbeat of the creative community. Generally, everyone there is friendly, which helps when you are hoping to make new connections!

In previous years, Red Dot Diva publishes interviews with a few indie artists before the physical convention kicks off. After a two-year hiatus due to the recent pandemic, the RDD pre-SGCC interview tradition returns! To kick-off this year's “Artist Alley” spotlight, Filipino creative Bea Gomez aka BlueToaster bravely fielded Red Dot Diva nosy questions:

Join The Rebellion At Raffles City - Star Wars: Andor Light Projection and X-Wing Fighter Display

Calling all STAR WARS nerds! It's time to gear up, and head to Raffles City mall to join the Rebellion.

For this year's Christmas festivities, CapitaLand is bringing Disney-themed installations called “From Our Family To Yours” to their 16 malls around Red Dot Island.

In Raffles City, STAR WARS fans get to step into a small section of the galaxy far far away from now till 25 December. The highlight is the scaled replica of the Incom T-70 X-Wing Fighter on Level 3.

Jiangshi Galore At Daniel Yu x Blaxk's Altered Realities: A Jiangshi Introspection Exhibition (till 20 Nov 2022)

Local toy designer and sculptor DANIEL YU takes centrestage at an exhibition hosted by collectibles store and creative space BLAXK at Funan Mall. The exhibition entitled Altered Realities: A Jiangshi Introspection launched on 30 September 2022, and it is still running till 20 November 2022.

Red Dot Diva got to know about DANIEL YU'S creations when she spotted his toys displayed at a Singapore Toy Games and Comic Convention many years ago. His iconic Jiangshi (commonly known as “Chinese vampire”, although it is more like a zombie?) vinyl figures beckoned to her dark, macabre heart. There is something nostalgic about the jiangshi. The creature is such a classic Asian horror trope that has been ingrained in our psyche, especially those who watched a lot of the Hong Kong horror movies of the '80s and '90s.

Altered Realities: A Jiangshi Introspection is dedicated to DANIEL'S Jiangshi and other toy designs. Creative works by thirteen local artists have also been invited to put their visual spin on the Jiangshi. With that in mind, Red Dot Diva had to pop by BLAXK for a look. She visited the space during the First Wave of the exhibition that included art interpretations by Allison M. Low, Clogtwo, erikartoon, Claire & Pann Lim, Inkten Nadirah, Ratking, and Zan Cheong.

Gamescom Asia 2022 - A Peek At The Physical Trade Zone

Gamescom Asia 2022 wrapped up its show last weekend. The premiere gaming convention for developers in South-East Asia ran from 20 to 22 October 2022. While the Entertainment Zone (B2C) was held online with 2 livestreamed shows, the Trade Zone (B2B) segment was held physically at the Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre. Red Dot Diva and her media buddy Gwen dropped by the show floor on 21 October (Saturday) for a quick walk-through.

The showfloor was targetted primarily for professionals from the gaming industry, with booths showcasing various game studios, gaming technology and peripherals. Ample space was allocated to provide opportunities for networking and making business connections.

Power Up With Dwayne Johnson's Under Armour Project Rock x Black Adam Training Collection

The BLACK ADAM movie from the DC Extended Universe is now out at the theatres! Black Adam (whose real name is Teth-Adam) is based on the DC character who originates from the same comic book series as Shazam. Unlike the superheroes most people are familiar with, Black Adam is not a “nice” guy. For one thing, he has little compunction in killing people to get what he wants or needs.

Superstar Dwayne Johnson, who stars as the titular anti-hero, has mentioned that the BLACK ADAM movie is his passion project. This is the first time Black Adam is appearing on the big screen. So, to celebrate and promote the movie's release, Dwayne Johnson has created a striking line of performance wear called the Black Adam Training collection as part of Project Rock, his global partnership with sportswear brand Under Armour.

“Black Adam deserved more than a portrayal,” said Dwayne Johnson. “He deserved a transformation. Every training session, every rep, every drop of sweat was my commitment to disrupt the very notion about this character and myself.”

Gamescom Asia 2022's Virtual Entertainment Zone And Where You Can Watch It

Gamescom Asia is only a week away! The premiere gaming convention will be held at the Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre from 20 to 22 October 2022.

Not gonna lie, Red Dot Diva was disappointed when Gamescom Asia 2022 announced that the B2C Entertainment Zone will be a fully online show this year. She had been hoping to be able to interact with fellow geeks on the show floor, while trying out new games at the various exhibitor booths. Still, the fact that the festival is set to go on despite globally challenging times, shows the industry's confidence about gaming in this region.

Gamescom Asia's industry segment, called the Trade Zone, will remain as an in-person event at Suntec. Over 80 exhibitors from 16 countries are geared up to showcase their games and expertise during the event, and industry attendees will be able to enjoy the exhibition area with scheduled panels on stage, trade conference, networking opportunities, and speed-dating sessions.

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Hosts A Prelude Event at City Square Mall (8 & 9 October 2022)

As announced earlier this year, Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) will be back with a physical event this year at Sands Convention Centre on 10 and 11 December 2022! Local and regional geeks are already familiar with the Red Dot Island's largest pop-culture event of the year. Ever since online ticketing was open, they have been eyeing guests announcements like a hawk.

Generation Experience, the convention's organiser, is keen to lure “casual fans” to the geek party as well. So, to give the general public as well as geeks a sneak peek of what SGCC is like, there will be a Prelude Event held at City Square Mall this weekend (8 and 9 October 2022), from 11 AM to 8 PM.

To kick-off the day, P4L* ("pop culture 4 Life!") the Official Mascot of SGCC, will be making its appearance for the first time ever! The mascot was designed by designer toys and art collectibles studio Mighty Jaxx.

Then, stay and enjoy the exciting activities and guest appearances lined up for the event. Here are some of the cool stuff you can look out for:

Local Horror Podcast Ghost Maps Wins At 17th Annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards 2022

GHOST MAPS: TRUE SOUTHEAST ASIAN HORROR STORIES has won Best Asian Hosted Podcast at the 17th Annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards! The People’s Choice Podcast Awards are a global and prestigious awards given annually to the best podcasts as voted by the general public. It is the longest running and past winners include This American Life, Crime Junkie, and WTF with Marc Maron. GHOST MAPS is the first Singaporean podcast to win at the awards. Congratulations!

HANTU’s flagship series GHOST MAPS is the go-to podcast for narrative supernatural tales which stars our region's notorious ghosts, monsters and supernatural spooks. Pontianak stories? Check. Vengeful child spirits? Check. Pocongs? Yeppp. Check.

Geek Out At XM Studios' Life-Sized Batcave at - So Instagrammable!

Holy Bat Lair! Red Dot Diva has finally visited XM Studios' life-sized Batcave at their show area in Kitchener Complex, and it made her geek girl heart sing.

The award-winning premium collectibles studio launched its 1:30 scale Batcave on Batman Day 2022 in collaboration with with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC. As you enter the Batcave, you would immediately be drawn to this gorgeous and intricate Batman: White Knight (Batcycle Edition) figure. Love the "flying cape", which imbues the sculpture with a sense of energy.

Cartoons Underground 2022 (22 Oct) Heads To Projector x Picturehouse - Get Your Tickets Now!

After two years of producing a virtual format during the Covid-19 pandemic, Cartoons Underground is back with a one-day in-person event for its 11th edition! The festival will be held on 22 October 2022 at at Projector X: Picturehouse cinema.

Cartoons Underground is Southeast Asia's largest animation festival. This year, it attracted 1,681 entries submitted from 96 different countries, which is the highest number of submissions received during the festival's 11-year run. 16 animation works have been specially selected to be screened during the event, followed by a Director Q&A, and a celebratory music-pumpin' afterparty.

Did you notice the many cats in the Cartoons Underground is banner? The drawing is by this year's festival artist Sarah Lim, a Yale-NUS graduate with a degree in Life Sciences and a minor in Arts and Humanities. Sarah scored an internship with Finding Pictures after attending animation courses for 2 years. She was then involved with prop and character design for their latest TV series, Puberteens, and is now eager to tell more stories through animation and art.

Happy Batman Day 2022 - Visit the Batcave at XM Studios, Catch The Batman Premiere on HBO and more!

Nana nana nana nana BATMAN!!!! Happy Batman Day, all you geeks!

On 17 September, also known as Batman Day, fans celebrate the World’s Greatest Detective's adventures for over 80 years! And he's still going strong.

So, what are the Batty things you can do with your squad on Red Dot Island for the festivities? Check out the following list of things to do:

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Releases First Trailer And Lures You With Puzzle Challenges

Finally! The trailer for THE GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY, film maker Rian Johnson's sequel to his delicious whodunit movie KNIVES OUT has been released. Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back to solve another murder!

These days, many trailers tend to give away much more than Red Dot Diva thinks they should. So, it is refreshing to see the smartly crafted teaser for the THE GLASS ONION showing you just enough intrigue to draw you in.

Close friends of tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) receive invitations to his private Greek island. The group are shown trying to solve a series of puzzle games (wait, are these clues??). But then, things start to go wrong once the party ends. Someone gets murdered. Enter Benoit Blanc and his neckerchief, who must use his investigative prowess to ‘peel back the onion’ and find the culprit. The sunny trailer about a gathering of well-heeled elites, who most probably already have frictions with each other, gives off serious Agatha Christie “Evil Under The Sun” vibes.

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Opens Ticketing With Initial List Of Exhibitors

Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) is finally back with an in-person event after a two year-break due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the hiatus, the show changed hands from Reed Exhibitions Singapore to Generation Experience, and ran a virtual event in December 2021. This year, SGCC will return with an even bigger show, taking up 2 levels (Level 1 and B2) of the Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 10 & 11 December 2022.

Red Dot Diva knows that the local and regional geek communities are itching to get their nerd on at a physical comic convention. We have missed each other sooooo much! Well, you can now get your booty all ready to party because the online ticketing booth for SGCC is now OPEN!

The Comic Embassy - Get To Know Clio Hui, Clio Ding and Rixou Low (15 - 30 August 2022)

For the last 3 months, pop-up art community space The Comic Embassy held an array of activities to help raise the profile of our island’s local comic book scene.

From 15 to 30 August, the headlining theme will be Realms Of Allures, and artist ambassadors CLIO HUI, CLIO DING and RIXOU LOW (Liu JiaHui) are poised to share their art and experiences about comic book creation in the local marketplace. The trio have each published original books set in an alluring and imaginative fantasy world filled with cyborgs, demons, dinosaurs, fallen angels and vampires.

To find out more information about the events scheduled from 15 to 30 August 2022, check out the link here: https://sgcartoonhub.com/comic-embassy/#programme-2

Here’s an introduction to the three artist ambassadors for the last fortnight of The Comic Embassy:

Night Safari Hosts An Ultraman (And Merliger) Pop-Up Experience - 5 August to 31 October 2022

Remember the specially produced “SingapoReimagine ULTRAMAN” webisodes of Ultraman battling kaijus in various iconic Red Dot Island tourist spots? In the final exciting battle at Marina Bay entitled “FINAL / Ultraman: A New Power of Singapore”, all three monsters - Red King, Neronga and Gubila - combined forces, and Ultraman was having difficulties fighting them off alone when... dun dun dun... the normally placid Merlion transformed to a red and silver kaiju named Merliger, and helped him win the fight. So awesome!

If you still cannot get enough of Ultraman and Merliger, the two heroes have joined hands to battle wildlife threat kaijus at the Night Safari, during a fun pop-up experience starting from now till 30 October 2022.

Here are some activities in store for you at the Ultraman Pop-Up Experience:

The Comic Embassy - Meet Sam Lay, Sean Lam and Kang Jing (1 - 14 August 2022)

Since The Comic Embassy's launch in June 2022, the pop-up art community space has hosted a number of local comic book creators like artists Foo Swee Chin, James Leong, Alan Bay and Collin Yap. These ambassadors met art students, comic book fans, did live drawings, drew portrait sketches as well as conducted interesting workshops about illustrating comic books. Creative guests like poet Felix Cheong also shared about their personal creative journeys.

Last month, on Community Day, a busy flow of comic book fans, art students and members of the public mingled and sat down for portrait sketches by the artist ambassadors. The many colourful participants of the Harajuku Fashion Walk Singapore dropped by that day, adding on to the convivial and creative ambience of the place.

The Comic Embassy will wrap up its busy and fruitful run promoting the local comic book scene at the end of August 2022. Before that happens, the organizers have planned a list of exciting activities, and will be introducing more featured guests throughout the month.

From 1 to 14 August, the theme will be Realms Of Chiaroscuro. SAM LAY, SEAN LAM and KANG JING are the three featured artists who will share and demonstrate the use of their skills and techniques of using light and darkness to tell compelling narratives. There are also scheduled sessions with other creatives like veteran artist Cheah Sin Ann (best known for The House Of Lim), Zaki Rahman and Danny Jalil.

Gamescom Asia Returns With A Physical Entertainment Zone From 20 To 22 October 2022

Exciting times are ahead for gamers as Gamescom Asia will return to Red Dot Island from 20 to 22 October 2022 at Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre! The city-state opened up for fully Covid-19 vaccinated visitors since early this year, which sets the stage for Gamescom Asia to host a larger physical Trade Zone, Conference, plus a physical Entertainment Zone for the first time. Last year, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the convention was a hybrid experience with the Trade Zone and Entertainment Zone held virtually. Attendees were able to watch livestreams and on-demand videos to keep up with what was announced during the convention.

“We are delighted to have the commitment of global leading video game players for the event. This is testament to the increasing interest in the games market in Southeast Asia as well as in gamescom asia. With just three months before the event, the team is working hard to develop an exceptional experience for all trade visitors and the public alike. We are expecting many more companies to join us over the coming weeks in this widely anticipated event,” said Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Singapore, the organiser of gamescom asia.

House Of The Dragon Swoops Into SDCC With Interactive Experience, Panel And Launch Of New Niantic Game App

For those who have not gotten enough of Westeros, and still feeling unsatisfied about the finale of HBO original series' GAME OF THRONES, keep your hearts burning for a little while longer. HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, the prequel of the award-winning historical drama, will premiere 22 August on HBO GO, same time as the U.S. telecast.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood”, the ten-episode series is set 200 years before the events of GAME OF THRONES, and spills the fiery-fueled tea of the story of House Targaryen, their dragons, and their liaisons with the other Houses. The series stars Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans, as well as additional cast members including Milly Alcock, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Emily Carey, Harry Collett, Ryan Corr, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Graham McTavish, Ewan Mitchell, Theo Nate, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, Phia Saban, Gavin Spokes and Savannah Steyn.

Leading up to the debut of the new series, HBO Max is set to offer fans an immersive experience called “House of the Dragon: The Dragon’s Den" during San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) from July 21 (Thursday) to July 24 (Sunday). Get ready to be transported to Westeros, where you will be guided through a ceremonial dragon hatching experience as a member of House Targaryen.

The Comic Embassy - An Interview With Inimitable Local Artist Foo Swee Chin

The pop-up artist commnunal space at Tekka Place called The Comic Embassy, is featuring two artist ambassadors for the month of July. Veteran local freelance artist Foo Swee Chin, more affectionately known as FSc, is one of the artist ambassadors. The other is local illustrator and comic book creator Alan Bay.

FSc has been creating comic books cartoons, games, manga, tattoos and web journals since the early 2000s. Her various works have been published in Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and the US. She is well known for her NIGHTMARES AND FAIRYTALES comic book series (2002 to 2005) published by Slave Labor Graphics (SLG), in collaboration with writer Serena Valentino. She gained a large following in Japan when she managed to publish her work there. One of them is NIHON LAH (2012 to 2015), an online travel blog comic. Her other works include psychological-supernatural tales like muZz (SLG) and MINCE (Neko Press). FSc's historical action comic PARAMESWARA AND TEMASEK: THE SACKING OF SINGAPORE, was also featured during the Singapore Bicentennial celebration.

There is no easy way to describe FSc's unique yet recognisable art style. Her mix of the morose, almost Tim Burton-esque sentiments and fluid, imaginative visuals, are as enigmatic as FSc herself. Curious to find out what makes her tick, Red Dot Diva asked her some nosy questions:

The Comic Embassy - An Interview With Versatile Comic Book Creator Alan Bay

The Comic Embassy, a pop-up artist commnunal space at Tekka Place, is currently in its second month of operation. Every month from June 2022, two artist ambassadors will be in the spotlight, providing ample opportunities for people to meet them, and get to know more about their creative works. In June, the artist ambassadors were Collin Yap and James Leong. This month, local artists Alan Bay and Foo Swee Chin will step into the spotlight.

Alan Bay is a prolific illustrator and comic book creator who is known for his artwork in several high profile projects, including games like Assassin's Creeds: Brotherhood and TMNT, and the comic book “ONCE UPON A SINGAPORE... TRADERS”, which was nominated for Singapore Book Publishers Association's Book of the Year 2019.

Red Dot Diva last met Alan Bay when he was busy promoting local fantasy comic book “SACRED GUARDIANS”, published by Asiapac Books. She managed to catch up with Alan for this interview as he prepares for his appearances at the Comic Embassy:

Re-Enter Into Westworld - Season 4 Premieres on HBO Asia and HBO Go, 27 June 2022

HBO's dystopian science-fiction series WESTWORLD is one of the most confounding yet intriguing study on human psyche as well as the concepts of consciousness and freewill. The TV series created by husband and wife team Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, expanded on the 1973 film written and directed by Michael Crichton. Michael Crichton is known for his techno-thriller books like The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Disclosure and Prey.

As a local islander, Red Dot Diva found WESTWORLD'S Season 3 an interesting visual experience because her city-state home was transformed as future Los Angeles. Familiar spots like Lasalle College of the Arts, Oasia Hotel Downtown, Marina One, the Atlas Bar and even Pulau Ubin, were featured prominently in several scenes. Red Dot Diva never realised Red Dot Island could look so sleek and cinematic!

In Season 3, the hosts Dolores, Maeve and Bernard are no longer in the theme park. The setting shifts to the real world, mostly in a near-future Los Angeles, with Dolores aiming to start a revolution. In this timeline, humans like a man called Caleb, had to live with specified outcomes and futures determined by an AI called Rehoboam. The story was a mirror of the Delos theme park where the hosts were kept in repetitive narrative loops. In the Season 3 finale, after finding out about Serac, one of the creators of Rehoboam, as well as battling with Maeve, Dolores sacrificed herself for humanity. But not before she chose Caleb to lead the revolution.

There are several unanswered questions after Season 3's ending, like: Is Dolores really dead? Or, how did the revolution led by Caleb play out after the destruction of Rehoboam? What did Bernard find in the Sublime, and how long was he in there? And, what other nefarious deeds have the Man In Black host been up to in the real world? The answers you are seeking for may be revealed in Season 4 of WESTWORLD, which will debut at the same time as the U.S. on Monday, June 27 at 9 AM SGT only on HBO and HBO GO. There will be a same day encore on at 10 PM SGT on HBO.

Art Is Community - The Comic Embassy Opens At Tekka Place - 11 June 2022

A brand new communal space called The Comic Embassy will be opening at Tekka Place this Saturday (11 June), and you are all invited! The experimental project is conceptualised by SG Cartoon Resource Hub, supported by Tekka 1001 with sponsorship from Millet Group and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

From June to November 2022, The Comic Embassy aims to generate more interest for local comic book artists and creators, by showcasing the talent of established as well as emerging artists. A pair of artist ambassadors will be featured each month. Through an extensive programme that includes book launches, meet and greet sessions, live drawing, workshops and more, The Comic Embassy hopes to provide ways for artists to connect with the public, including comic book fans as well as future collaborators.

The Comic Embassy - An Interview With Multi-faceted Freelance Artist James Leong

An exciting and experimental communal space for comic artists called The Comic Embassy is currently being set up at Tekka Place. The embassy aims to promote local interest in comic creation, and will shine the spotlight on two artist ambassadors each month.

Local freelance artist James Leong is one of the artists who will help kick off the launch of The Comic Embassy. Upon first impression, James’ buff and tough exterior might remind you of an Asian Jason Statham, all ready to dive into action with guns a-blazing. However, instead of drawing real-life weapons, James draws gorgeous art pieces of highly imaginative characters and creatures.

Before he went freelance, James spent decades toughing it out as Art Director in the advertising industry, working with client projects like OCBC and SK-II. Now, he not only creates comics and manages his own wearable art brand #DaCatPeeps, he also flexes his knowledge as a professional educator teaching enthusiasts about art, story-telling and related topics.

As an artist with several years of working experience, James certainly has a lot to share. So, Red Dot Diva pumped up a few nosy questions, just to find out a little more about the man behind the drawing board:

The Comic Embassy - An Interview With Local Sketch Artist Collin Yap

The comic book scene in Red Dot Island may be small, but dig deeper and you will discover a surprisingly long list of local writers and artists. To offer a spotlight to emerging and established local comic book artists as well as student groups, a new local artist communal space called The Comic Embassy is currently being set up at Tekka Place. More details about the site, its founders and the upcoming programme are coming soon.

The Comic Embassy will host two artist ambassadors each month. For June, one of these ambassadors is Collin Yap, who by the way, is a full-time tennis coach by profession! Though not formally trained, Collin has been taking notes from the masters of the industry. He also credits having a good mentor who challenges him to constantly improve himself. That mentor is local freelance creative director / artist/ art educator James Leong, who will be making his appearance together with Collin as the other artist ambassador.

To get to know Collin even better, Red Dot Diva lobbed some nosy questions to him. Check out the Q&A below:

Top Gun: Maverick – A Light, Water & Pyrotechnic Extravaganza At Marina Bay Sands - What A Blast!

After 36 years, the long awaited sequel TOP GUN: MAVERICK starring Tom Cruise, is now showing at theatres all over the world. The follow-up movie is set 30 years after the original action blockbuster film TOP GUN, and sees the return of Tom Cruise' character Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and Val Kilmer as Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky.

In tune with the TOP GUN movies stories about US Navy fighter pilots, TOP GUN: MAVERICK had a world premiere on board the aircraft carrier USS Midway, where Tom Cruise made a heckuva entrance by flying and landing a helicopter on the ship deck. To add on to the spectacle, there were also jet flyovers and the presence of uniformed servicemen accompanying the cast members on the red carpet.

Red Dot Island has seen her share of flashy red carpet premieres in recent years before the pandemic struck. Ever since a series of lockdowns and limited social restrictions in 2019, big scale events such as these have yet to return to our shores. In a way, Red Dot Diva misses these grand affairs, even though the messy and sweaty hours of standing in the public fans' area does suck the energy of from her for a couple of days or so. She has also suffered a few minor bruises and scrapes from being right in the fray of things. Still, the possibility of getting close to your favourite celebrity was real, and if you managed to get that rare selfie with the actor, well... then you are probably set for your entire geek life.

Hopefully, movie premieres will return in a big way in Red Dot Island again soon. Meanwhile, less flashy movie premieres at cinemas are still held by the local distributors. UIP Singapore's premiere event for TOP GUN: MAVERICK held at Shaw Theatres Lido saw some well-known celebrities in attendance, as well as a few US Navy aviators based here.

You Won't Believe It's Trash Art Exhibition - Intricate Models Built By Local Artist Simon Tan

The YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT'S TRASH (YWBIT) Exhibition organised by Lendlease to promote sustainability and zero-waste habits may have already ended, but Red Dot Diva still cannot get over how amazing the art pieces were. So, she decided to publish this belated blog post as a reminder of the time when she stood there admiring the impressive models on display at Parkway Parade. Besides Parkway Parade, the roving exhibition was held at Paya Lebar Quarter, Jem, and 313 Somerset.

All the intricately built models were by one man, a local retiree and self-taught artist named Simon Tan. Mr Tan uses various recycled materials like cardboard, foam, paper, toothpicks and even broom heads to make these art pieces. Most of them were very recognisable pop-culture characters or props like the Alien Queen from the Alien vs Predator universe, the monster from Frankenstein, and the Star Destroyer from Star Wars.

May The 4th SG 2022 at Suntec City - We're One With The Force

This year's May the 4th activities landed for 10 days from 7 to 16 May 2022 at the prime trade planet of Planet SuntecVIII.

After a lengthy blockade on trade and travel between certain sectors of the galaxy, it was really good to be able to meet up with various interplanetary allies again. On the 1st day of the Star Wars Day celebration, Red Dot Diva was happily reunited with her geek bro, Jedd and fellow geekstresses Jas and Gwen.

Together, they explored the sights in the various sections of the planet's city, like the impressive display of Star Wars Black Series action figures and LEGO builds at the West Wing. Over in the East Wing, the bustling marketplace offered creative toy photography prints by Plastic SG & Friends, and vibrant paintings by art collective DPLMT. Most of the items were available for sale, with net proceeds going to charity (KHH Health Fund).

It's A Trap! May The 4th Star Wars Day Lands on Suntec City - 7 to 16 May 2022!

On May the 4th, the entire galaxy will be celebrating Star Wars Day. This year, local fans will be eagerly gathering at Suntec City of Planet SuntecVIII, from 7 to 16 May 2022.

Based on intel gathered by her informants, Red Dot Diva found out that the Empire is eager to expand and set up a new base. She spotted a team of intimidating Imperial officers, stormtroopers and Mandalorians scouting Planet SuntecVIII a few weeks ago.

The planet is located at a popular trade route, making it home to several equipment yards and food markets. It also has a constant water supply, which, based on local custom, is a symbol of good fortune. And if one decides to let loose for awhile, there is a number of very alien-friendly cantinas to choose from. No wonder the Imperial officers seemed pleased with their scouting mission.

The LKY Musical Is Back (7 to 18 September 2022) - Early Bird Tickets On Sale Now!

After two years of restrictions, social distancing and downscaled live events, Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) and Aiwei triumphantly announced the return of THE LKY MUSICAL!

During its first run in 2015, THE LKY MUSICAL about Red Dot Island's former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, was watched by over 50,000 people. This time, the event will be the island city-state's first large-scale musical production since the pandemic, and is poised to entertain and inspire thousands more at the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands, from 7 to 18 September 2022.

THE LKY MUSICAL is an ode to the late Lee Kuan Yew. It depicts the personal journey of the formidable statesman, from his younger days at Raffles College, through the brutal Japanese Occupation, the threat of Communism, and his various ups and downs leading up to Singapore's Independence in 1965. The story also documents how the main players around him influenced his actions and decisions, including the woman who stood beside him.

The Manic and Outrageous Creativity of Everything Everywhere All At Once

A24's EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE is an exhilarating and mind-bending assault on the senses. Writer-directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, also collectively known as the Daniels, have fueled the metaphysical, martial arts film in an exhilarating bombardment of utter weirdness.

Just like the numerous "what if" scenarios you might have wondered about your own life, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE offers the various iterations of Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh)'s existence. A harried, mousy Chinese immigrant laundromat owner, Evelyn has many adulting problems. One of them is trying to save her failing business from a persistent IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis and her glorious belly). She is also trying to plan a Chinese New Year party for the community, dealing with accepting her aimless daughter Joy's (Stephanie Hsu) sexuality, and trying to shield that revelation from her disapproving, estranged father (James Hong).

Feel Like A Giant At Suntec's Hong Kong: Through The Looking Glass Exhibition

Itching to travel again but not sure if it is worth the hassle with various Covid 19-related advisories in place? One way to get your quick fix this weekend, albeit in a very small scale, is to visit the Hong Kong: Through The Looking Glass Exhibition at Suntec City. The exhibition, organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO), celebrates the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The show will wrap up this Sunday, 17 April 2022.

Displayed in glass casings at the Suntec City mall's East Atrium as well as near the playground at Level 3, are 40 handmade miniature models capturing the essence of Hong Kong's unmistakable cityscape, traditions and food culture. There are models of iconic buildings like the Blue House Cluster and Tai O Heritage Hotel as well as festivals like the Cheung Chau Bun Festival.

Jessica Emmett's Debut Exhibition "SHOW YOUR EEMO" Launches At BLAXK By Actioncity, 12 March 2022

A colourful and interesting art exhibition opens at BLAXK by Actioncity, located at Funan Mall tomorrow, 12 March 2022 (Saturday). It is the debut exhibition of talented UK toy designer, illustrator & 3D artist JESSICA EMMETT, entitled SHOW YOUR EEMO.

Full disclosure here - JESSICA EMMETT is Red Dot Diva's good friend. They first met at the Singapore Toy Games and Comic Convention (STGCC) 2016's Artist Alley, when she was promoting her illustrations and self-printed comics. It was love at first sight for Red Dot Diva and Jessica's various eye-catching and unique character designs. Jessica also designed the rebranded Red Dot Diva logo that you now see on all the RDD social media accounts. So, Red Dot Diva cannot help but feel very proud and happy that Jessica is given a chance to show off her works in her debut exhibition.

Punch In For Kung Fu Season 2 on Warner TV (Premieres 10 March 2022)

Mention the “Kung Fu" series to Gen X-ers, and they will immediately remember the 1970's show which starred David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a half-Chinese Shaolin monk who was framed for murder, and came to America to search for his family. It is well known that martial arts legend Bruce Lee was passed over for the main role, and it has been argued that this was due to his accent, which the audience may find difficulty understanding. It just goes to show the level of discrimination Asian and Asian-American actors face, trying to get visibility in tinseltown. The original series has also been criticized for its prominent white-washing and propagating of Asian stereotypes.

With the rebooted, reimagining of the series that premiered in 2021, the creators Christina M. Kim, Martin Gero, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Robert Berens and Warner Bros TV hope to right some of the wrongs regarding Hollywood's ‘bamboo ceiling’. In this new gender-bent version set in modern times, Olivia Liang as Nicky Shen, a young Chinese American woman who ran away from her university studies and ended up learning Shaolin kungfu at a monastery in China.

The first season of KUNG FU follows Nicky's homecoming in San Francisco, to find that her parents owes the mob money due to the family's failing restaurant business. A dangerous Triad has now taken hold of her home district, and is overrun with crime and corruption. While trying to solve the mystery of her sifu's death, Nicky also makes it her mission to disentangle her family from the mobsters and use her kung fu skills to fight for justice.

Season 2 of KUNG FU premieres today (10 March 2022) on Warner TV. There is more battles ahead for Nicky, as the family reunites with a long-lost cousin named Mia (Vanessa Yao). What has Mia got to do with the Russell Tan (Kee Chan), the current season's Big Bad?

If you have yet to get on board with the show, it is still not too late to start. Red Dot Diva gives you the five reasons why you should watch KUNG FU:

Experience The Batman "Unmask The Truth" Pop-up at Shaw House

One of DC's most enduring and iconic superhero is back to the big screen. Matt Reeves' THE BATMAN, starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, premiered in local theatres on 3 March 2022. To ramp up the hype and excitement for the new Batman movie, WarnerMedia has turned Orchard Road into an interactive experience for the fans with The Batman “Unmask The Truth" pop-up event.

Its main "Gotham City" is located at Shaw House's ground level. Enter into Gotham's shadowy world to check out the Bat-signal, a life-sized figure of Batman the "Battinson" version, and a cool toy display that includes XM Studios' intricately sculpted collectible "The Batman’s Greatest Battles". Against a replica of the Batcave console, Secretlab has also unveiled their The Batman chair, with a special magnetically detachable bat emblem.

Don't forget about taking your selfies! The movie backdrops provided Red Dot Diva with lots of fun and wacky photo opportunities.

Attack On Titan Exhibition At Artscience Museum - The Invasion Is Here!

The epic invasion of scary, colossal beings has begun! Starting 19 February 2022, Artscience Museum and collaborator SPACELogic has kicked off the ATTACK ON TITAN: The Exhibition that pays tribute to the best-selling manga's creator Hajime Isayama and the series' amazing 11-year run with Japanese publishing company, Kodansha. The exhibition makes its South-East Asian and overseas debut here, with a few new additions and surprises.

Come along with Red Dot Diva as she walks through the exhibit in this feature, so you can know what to expect. Or, if you are unable to head to Red Dot Island during the exhibition's run, Red Dot Diva hopes that you will be able to live vicariously through this article and photos.

Got your ODM gear ready? Here we go!

5 Movies To Watch To Usher In The Year Of The Tiger 2022

The Year of the Tiger has arrived!!! So, HU (虎)-at will you going to be watching over the holidays?

A couple of days ago, Red Dot Diva started bingeing on Netflix's new CG-animated series He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe. The energetic and flashy 10-episode series developed by Rob David, re-imagines the franchise in a futuristic cyberpunk-scifi world. The basic premise of the beloved He-Man characters are still there, but what is best about this show are its intriguing departures, like the gender-bent Krass, who later became Ram Ma'am.

One of the best storylines is the exploration of how this version's Cringer became the hero he was meant to be. It is a major difference from the cartoon of the 80s, where the whiny shivering big cat can be so annoying at times. Cringer of the Netflix reboot always had courage in him, but was declawed and exiled from his tribe, due to his desire to protect his fellow cats.

As Cringer looks mostly like a green tiger with stripes, Red Dot Diva thought it was super auspicious to celebrate this year's zodiac animation - the Water Tiger.

The tiger is also a familiar motif in a number of movies throughout the years. So here are 5 movies that Red Dot Diva thinks would an entertaining way to herald the New Year!

(Note: The movies are in order of the year of their release. You may need to hunt down a DVD/ stream to watch some of these titles!

Attack On Titan Exhibition Stomps Into ArtScience Museum From 19 February 2022

Attention, troops! Get your ODM gear ready! The Titans will be arriving at ArtScience Museum from 19 February 2022.

ATTACK ON TITAN (Shingeki no Kyojin) is an insanely popular manga series by Japanese creator Hajime Isayama, with over 100 million copies sold in print. During its 11-year run, readers followed the adventures of a young man named Eren Yeager and his close friends Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Alert, in a dystopian world where humanity is threatened by horrifying, man-eating giants.

The manga was adapted to an anime series produced by Wit Studios, except for the last season, which was taken over by MAPPA. The series is currently streaming on Netflix Singapore, and The Final Season: Part 2 recently premiered on 10 January 2022. New episodes are being released weekly, with reports stating that there will be a total of 12 episodes to wrap up the anime series.

Organised by SpaceLogic, the ATTACK ON TITAN: The Exhibition will feature over 180 pieces of Hajime Isayama's works of art, from his early days of the manga series to the present. This will be the exhibition's South-East Asia debut. Here are what visitors and fans of the franchise can expect from the exhibition: