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.
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.
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.
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.
A childhood dream came true for many of us with the release of the first episode of a special video by Tsuburaya Productions, where ULTRAMAN makes his heroic appearance in Singapore. There will be 3 episodes, and the short films are part of a collaboration with Singapore Tourism Board (STB) entitled “SingapoReimagine ULTRAMAN”. The virtual campaign celebrates the 55th year of formal Singapore-Japan diplomatic relations (code named SJ55), and is set to run for 1.5 years. Coincidentally, the year 2021 is also the 55th birthday of the beloved Japanese tokusatsu superhero!
Don't miss watching “Power of Singapore Episode 1” on YouTube, which kicks off in typical old school style with a menacing kaiju who is known as Red King (actually, Red Dot Diva thinks it looks quite cute!) stomping the grounds of Gardens By The Bay, basically doing its thing and scaring the bejesus out of people.
It is one of the stalwarts of Red Dot Island's National Day celebration for about 4 decades. Every year, a new National Day song will be written and performed. Some of the songs are quite forgettable, but there are few that never fail to stir the spirit of our island's people.
Dick Lee's “Home” is a number one favourite for most people. So is the straightforward, no holds barred rousing anthem like “We Are Singapore”, which was written by Canadian advertising guy Hugh Harrison, who was working for McCann Erickson during the 1980s.
This year's National Day song, composed by local singer-songwriter Linying and music producer Evan Low, is like a breath of fresh air. “The Road Ahead” sounds youthful. Even so, it was able to touch the hearts of all generations with its underlying message of hope and encouragement for an uncertain future. During a stubborn and invasive pandemic like this, “The Road Ahead” soothes the soul.
The live event turned out to be more fun and interactive than expected, as their friends joined the two online discussing about Joelyn's new “UNSTABLE UNIVERSE”, a fictional world that is set to expand from the graphic novel UNSTABLE FOUNDATIONS, published by COSH Studios in 2019. There were hiccups like awkward sound echos, and ‘uh-oh where did Joelyn disappear to’ moments, but the live session felt casual and cosy, as if a bunch of friends dropped by to yak about geeky stuff.
For the second installment of Live withRed Dot Diva, she has roped in fictional writer Wayne Rée, to talk about “HORRORS, REAL AND OTHERWISE”.
“LEGEND OF HOPE - A STAR WARS FAN FILM”, which was released during this year's May the 4th celebration, is one of the best local fan-made creation that Red Dot Diva has seen this year. Considering that 2020 is mostly cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, “LEGEND OF HOPE” was such a joy to watch. It is a timely gift, for an unusual era when people around the world are feeling discombobulated with lockdowns and restrictions.
Set in the forests of Kashyyyk after the execution of Order 66, the short 20-minute drama featured scowling villains, cheeky humour, intense light-saber duels, a fearless female resistance fighter, and more importantly, that stirring promise of Hope to fight for another day. And when it expands the Star Wars Universe to include Singlish-speaking Jedi -- lagi best.
The “Uncovering Unstable Universes” livestream event is a launch party for a new zine called UNSTABLE DIRECTIONS by local writerJoelyn Alexandra.
Joelyn writes mainly urban fiction, and her stories have been published by Two Trees, Math Paper Press, Ethos Books, and Buku Fixi. She also managed her own self-published indie zine, Pulp Toast, with saw a run of 4 issues that contained "snackable stories" about gaming, non-heroes, and the human condition. She has also participated in talks and writing workshops at various events, including Singapore Writers Festival, Read! Fest 2018, All In! Young Writers Festival, and Singapore Comic Con.
To the agony of fellow Red Dot Islanders, Circuit Breaker just got extended. It is going to be tough to keep the younger ones interested and energised till 1 June, while keeping them safe at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To add on to the list of fun things that the children can do, Red Dot Diva recommends Cartoon Network's brand new animation series called MONSTERBEACH. Surf-siblings Jan and Dean have been sent to live with their distant Uncle Woody on a tropical island called Iki-Iki. Hanging out on the island's very happening Monster Beach, is a kooky and colourful gang of monster surfers.
Together, the siblings and their monster friends cruise around the island attempting to solve a series of freaky mysteries and legends, while fending off the resident bad guy Dr. Knutt, who happens to be the leader of a tribe of tiki monsters. It is simply the kind of cool, endless summer vacation that any kid would dream of!
Take a peek at this karaoke sing-a-ling video to get acquainted with the various misfits of MONSTERBEACH:
It is usually during times of stress, isolation and uncertainty, that people tend to take stock of their lives. When you are forced to live in the company of those in your household for days on end, it can either be a bittersweet feeling, a sense of relief, or for many others, torrents of extreme frustration and anger.
However, during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the elderly are the most vulnerable of contracting and dying from the disease, most of us are holding our parents and grandparents nearer and dearer to us, even though they may be an annoyance in our daily lives.
The short local film called AFTER_LIFE is a reminder to appreciate those we love, and if you are brave, to verbally express that you love them too. Time and life can be fleeting, and in a moment, things that once know can change drastically.
AFTER_LIFE, written & directed by Australia-based Perry Lam, is a short story with a scifi twist. It tells the tale of a young man named Kurt, who learns to find meaning between the realms of imagination and reality, and how to deal with the consequences of his loss and regrets.
It's DAY 3 of CIRCUIT BREAKER Mode in Red Dot Island, as us islanders try to curb the spread of the infectious disease, and attempt to “flatten the curve”. What other countries call a lockdown, the Red Dot Island government has decided to call “Circuit Breaker”. Red Dot Diva thinks the term used is both ingenious and funny at the same time.
Not being with friends or family for an extended period of time can be disconcerting. Even for most introverts. People are social creatures after all, regardless of the level of interaction one prefers.
So, it was such a LOVELY SURPRISE when Red Dot Diva was woken up by a familiar ping on WhatsApp this morning from fellow nerd bro Ryan. Within the message was a video from one of Red Dot Diva's favourite silver foxy actors, NEAL MCDONOUGH!
Actor Adam Driver, the talented man behind Kylo Ren/ Ben Solo in the latest Star Wars trilogy, has thanked his fans for the GoFundMe fundraiser for Arts in the Armed Forces (AITAF). AITAF is a non-profit organisation founded by Adam Driver and his wife Joanne Tucker. The organisation aims
to bring the experience of the arts to those who are serving or who have served in the
military as well as to their family members.
Here's Adam Driver sending his thanks to fans.
Awwwwww.... He is just too precious.
After the astounding international success of the body-swapping, time travel love story “Your Name” in 2016, fans of Makoto Shinkai have been looking forward to enjoy more imaginative tales and dreamy landscapes in his signature style.
“Weathering With You” is Makoto Shinkai's latest animation masterpiece. In the long awaited movie, the city of near-future Tokyo is facing an unusual deluge of rainstorms. Hokada, an underaged runaway tries to look
for a job and ends up as an intern in a publication that investigates strange phenomena, one of which is a story about "sunshine girls". He meets and befriends one of them, Hina, who is able bring on clear skies through prayer. Both of them decide to use and monetise her superpowers... but surely, there is a price to pay for that?
When the movie was released in Japan earlier this year, it raked in takings of over USD100 million (10.7 billion yen) at the domestic box office, officially making it the biggest Japanese film domestically since “Your Name”. It has also been chosen as Japan’s entry for the best international feature film category at the 2020 Oscars.
“Weathering With You” has since been released in Hong Kong and Indonesia, and has topped box offices in the opening week in both countries.
Singapore audiences need not wait too long to experience another of Makoto Shinkai's enigmatic tale of young love unfolding in stunning, photorealistic backdrops. The Singapore premiere of “Weathering With You” (organised by film distributor Encore Films), will be held at Capitol Theatre this Friday, 6 September.
Hardcore fans can be one of the first to watch “Weathering With You” at this special event on 6 September, before the official theatrical release on 12 September 2019. All they need to do is buy the tickets at this link. At the cost of SGD 55 per ticket, fans will also be able to redeem exclusive movie premiums, like the transparent umbrella and notebook as seen in movie, an A2 movie poster and invite card. Seats are filling up fast, so get your tickets pronto!
Before the anime version of Yoru Sumino's novel “I Want To Eat Your Pancreas”, there was a live action adaptation with a slightly different title. It was called “Let Me Eat Your Pancreas”, starring Minami Hamabe and Takumi Kitamura in the lead roles. Red Dot Diva caught the tearjerker during a long haul flight, and thought it was engaging even though typically sentimental in that Japanese way. What is it about teens dying from terminal illness in several Japanese tragedies anyway?
The animated film “I Want To Eat Your Pancreas” directed by Shinichiro Ushijima is no less sentimental. In fact, Red Dot Diva found it overly dramatic, and repetitive in many instances (it seems that the novel was like that too), making the movie longer than necessary. Still, it had its moments, and the odd couple's sentiments about mortality, love and friendship were sincere and heartbreaking.
As you can probably guess by now, the bloodthirsty title, “I Want To Eat Your Pancreas” is not a horror movie or a film about the zombie apocalypse. Nope, it is actually a romance story about two people of opposite personalities. Sakura, a bubbly girl suffering from a life-threatening illness, decides to make use of her limited time on earth completing her crazy bucket list of things to do. Not wanting to become a shadow of her sickness, she strives to it a secret, and during her journey through life, she decides to befriend a seemingly boring, moody, anti-social guy from the same school that no one seems to like, and whose name remains a mystery till the last few minutes.
With over 40 million players worldwide, Blizzard's RPG first-shooter game Overwatch remains an international smash-hit even 2 years after its release. One of most favourite game characters is Mei, the adorkable Chinese climatologist with (literally!) very cool abilities.
Shanghai-based voice actor Elise Zhang, is as adorable as her alter ego. She is here in Red Dot Island as a guest at South-East Asia's premiere gaming convention, Gamestart Asia 2018.
At the interview session with a small group of eager press folks, the perky voice actor would twirl her long hair, and she would make animated hand expressions as she spoke about Mei, her involvement with Overwatch and the ardent fanbase. Her positive energy was infectious. It was like seeing Mei alive in 3D, but without the Endothermic Blaster, of course.
Red Dot Diva: How did you start working on voice acting, and how did you get the role of Mei in Overwatch? Elise:I studied chemical technology in college and I got my Masters degree in that. I didn't learn how to act or voice act. I was obsessed about voice acting since I was 12 or 13 years old, so when I was in college, I searched for some training courses on that. I took the course and my mentor thought I had some potential and gave me a lot of opportunities. So, after I got my Masters degree in chemical technology, I became a voice actor. For Overwatch, that's all about audition. My company works with Blizzard a lot - World of Warcraft and Heart of Stone and Heroes of Storm - and I've been in all of those games. So, they said to me - we need a voice actor who can speak English and Mandarin, and you have a Masters degree, you must know how to speak English, so come to the audition. There were 5 or 6 girls at the audition, and I got the part! I am so lucky, because Blizzard made a character just like. If they made a different kind of girl character, I might not have gotten it.
From 3 to 9 September, the escape room based on the channel's TV series - "The Big Bang Theory", "Gotham" and "Lethal Weapon" is all set for fans to participate and solve. Compared to last year's challenge, the game plays have levelled up as well
Here are different game room levels:
Escape Room 1 - Difficulty Level 1 - The Big Bang Theory
Help Sheldon Cooper locate his missing comic books!
Escape Room 2 - Difficulty Level 2 - Lethal Weapon
Deactivate the bomb before it hurts hundreds of innocent lives in the Central District!
Escape Room 3 - Difficulty Level 3 - Gotham
Escape Gotham City Police Department’s jail cells with your fellow cell mates!
Last week's Japan Park SG exhibition was quite the cultural fest on all things Japanese. In particular, Red Dot Diva thought the events held on the Omakaze Stage was very engaging.
The schedule of stage events ran the gamut of talks with cosplayers, wrestler Jushin Thunder Liger, robotist Professor Tomotaka Takahashi, various types of traditional dances, a party with girl band Poppin'Party as well as veteran rockers Sunplaza Nakano Kun & Papala Kawai. However, Red Dot Diva's favourite performance on stage was the live drawing of samurai sumi-e art (Japanese black ink brush painting) by OKAZU, a talented artist who hails from Osaka.
OKAZU is well-known for his sumi-e art on historical samurai and warriors, but he also does fantastic artwork of characters from manga, anime, Western pop-culture, and even comic book superheroes!
On stage during the Japan Park SG show, in less than 30 minutes, OKAZU created striking warring samurai images that seem almost alive, as if they are to jump through the white canvases. Accompanied by a cinematic soundtrack, his live performances were both elegant and visually powerful.
Just for this weekend, you do not need to fly to Japan in order to experience the traditions, and gather insights on the lifestyle and culture of the country. You just need to head to Japan Park Singapore exhibition at Suntec Convention Centre!
The show is a one-stop destination for a taste of all 47 prefectures in Japan. It is an ambitious feat that was pulled off by the show organizer Amuse Entertainment Singapore, together with partners Bushiroad, OJ Partners and WAttention, and support from SOZO (the creators of Anime Festival Asia), Japan Creative Centre (JCC), JNTO Singapore Office and JETRO Singapore.
Based on the media preview of Japan Park Singapore, here are some of the Wonderful Things to Experience at Japan Park SG:
WA-SHIOK GOURMET FESTA
When it comes to priorities, good food is pretty much at the top of the list for most locals. In the WA-SHIOK Gourmet Festa area, one will find much delectable yum yums to choose from!
During the media preview, Red Dot Diva had a taste of the sausage from Teppei Syokudo booth. The juicy meat had a flavourful crunch to it. Don't miss getting one of these!
The violent, dystopian world of make-believe in HBO's award-winning series "Westworld" was one of the most unforgettable, provocative shows in 2017.
The scifi show about the complex interactions between humans and androids in a futuristic theme park, had Red Dot Diva at the edge of her seat as plot twists and surprises were slowly revealed layer after layer in each episode.
Credit had to go to the stellar cast of actors consisting of Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie
Newton, Ed Harris, James Marsden, Tessa Thompson, Clifton Collins Jr,
and many more. Their performances, especially the actors who played the hosts,were nuanced and haunting.
Season 1 of HBO's original series "Westworld" wrapped up with a satisfying yet tantalizing finale that offered up a few twists (one in particular) that most fans did not expect. After those last shocking few seconds, Red Dot Diva has so many more questions about Ford, the future of Delos Incorporated now that the hosts are awake, and the repercussions of Dolores' and Maeve's actions.
Some reprieve from all that unresolved suspense came in the form of a Season 2 sneak peek released at SDCC 2016. The teaser showed a series of bloody massacres happening in the park and in Delos, with a vengeful Dolores going on a rampage.
