Makoto Shinkai's Latest Movie "Weathering With You" Premieres in Singapore on 6 September 2019

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!

Here's the trailer for “Weathering With You”:

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2019: More Guests Announced - Sarah Andersen, Fishball, Donny Cates and Yasmine Putri

The rebranded Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) that will be held Marina Bay Sands' Convention Centre on 7 & 8 December 2019, is ramping up the excitement with an interesting, varied guest list!

So far, the headlining guests include comic book artist fan favourites like Greg Capullo and Jock. The convention will also be welcoming Transformers artist Livio Ramondelli, upcoming artist Creees, illustrators Tara McPherson, Joey Spiotto and Prema-Ja, as well as cosplayers Jin (BehindInfinity) and Astarohime.

This week, SGCC announced a new initiative called "WORK IN PROGRESS (W.I.P.)" for South-East Asian creators. There will be more details on this at the end of this article.

The convention also welcomes even more wonderful guests to the local pop-culture event of the year. They are:


SARAH ANDERSEN

You would most probably have seen Sarah Andersen's quirky webcomic called SARAH'S SCRIBBLES, which features a googley-eyed, introverted girl and her struggles in daily in life. Sarah's observations on the minute details on every day moments like going to a bathroom, the weird things pet cats do, dealing with the summer heat and life's anxieties are spot on.

Sarah Andersen's work of art are also available in books, like HERDING CATS, BIG MUSHY HAPPY LUMP and ADULTHOOD IS A MYTH.

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2019 - Livio Ramondelli, Joey Spiotto, Creees, Prema-Ja and Cosplayer Jin Join the Guest List

More guests have been announced for major local pop-culture event Singapore Comic Con (SGCC), which is scheduled for 7 & 8 December at Marina Bay Sands' Convention Centre.

Adding to the list of well-known comic book guests announced in the first round, like artists Greg Capullo and Jock, a few more interesting personalities will be joining the convention for a whirlwind weekend of meet and greets, and panels held live on stage.

Here are the latest guest announcements:

LIVIO RAMONDELLI

Livio Ramondelli is best known for his work on IDW's Transformers comics series, where he has done both covers and interior artwork. He is also a long time fan of the Transformers, so will be able to talk shop with fellow fans about the popular Autobots and Decepticons.

His other comic book work include Dark Horse's Star Wars series and Dynamite's Battlestar Galactica comics, as well as Pacific Rim for Legendary comics.

Livio Ramondelli's art style is detailed as well as cinematic, especially in terms of the lighting. So, Red Dot Diva is not surprised to learn that he has also worked on concept art for Victory Hill Productions’ upcoming Transformers Experience in Shanghai, DC Universe Online for Sony/DC Comics.

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2019 Announces Greg Capullo, Jock and Tara McPherson as Guests, But No More VIP Tickets!

New name, new branding, new dates. ReedPOP Singapore has decided to shake things up in the local pop culture scene this year, having shifted the rebranded Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) to 7 & 8 December, instead of its usual spot in September. The pop-culture convention has also moved back up to the first level of Marina Bay Sands' Convention Centre.

Those are not the only things that ReedPop has decided to change for this year's show  - there will not be any VIP tickets available for sale for Singapore Comic Con. Fans who were looking forward to the VIP package, which included fast passes and exclusive loot, were rather disappointed. As in most of life's decisions, there are pros and cons to deciding on any option, and in Red Dot Diva's opinion, for most attendees, the VIP package has not offered a far better experience than a normal ticket anyway. However, there are early entry add-ons for those who want to head into the show hall 30 minutes earlier than the official opening time.

Here is SGCC's response regarding the VIP tickets:

Eager to ramp up excitement for the comic convention, the first batch of guests was announced a few days ago, and Wow!! -- they all meet the local geeks' stamp of approval! The list includes Greg Capullo, Mark Simpson aka Jock, and Tara McPherson.

Pop & Watch with The Cartoon Network and Singtel TV, and meet the Powerpuff Girls on June 22 & 23

It's the school holidays, and here is a way to get the kids entertained and yet, give the family a chance to win a cool prize.

From now till 21 June, there is a pop-up TV channel on Singtel TV called Pop & Watch, by the Cartoon Network (StarHub TV Channel 316 and Singtel TV Channel 226), where you can watch weekly marathons of fan-favourite shows for free!

The shows that you will be able to binge on include re-runs, and never before seen episodes of shows like “We Bare Bears”, “The Powerpuff Girls”, “Ben 10” and more! Pop & Watch is also available on Singtel TV Go, and Singtel Cast mobile apps.


Pop Up and Watch The Powerpuff Girls and We Bare Bears this June Holidays with Singtel from TurnerPRAsiaPac on Vimeo.

And wait, there is more. Red Dot Diva is eager to let Powerpuff Girls' fans know that you can meet the trio at Singtel Comcentre  on June 22 and 23! The Powerpuff Girls will be all ready to snap those memorable selfies with their fans at 10.45 AM, 11.45 AM and 12.45 PM.

Blessed Be the Fight! Season 3 of The Handmaid's Tale Premieres 6 June, on HBO Go

“The Handmaid's Tale” is an Emmy award-winning series that depicts a disturbing dystopian scenario during the rule of Gilead, a totalitarian state that has taken over what was once the United States of America.

In this era, when the environment is heavily polluted and birthrate is falling, women are treated as state property. Men make all the rules, and hold most of the power. The women have almost no rights. It is even considered heresy for them to read. Inevitably, following this imbalance, where competition is intense and there is little room to breathe, women tend to do cruel things to each other. In an effort to repopulate the earth again, the few women who are found to be fertile are forced into sexual servitude under a banner of religion, and are called Handmaids. 




The TV series created by Bruce Miller, is based on the best-selling book written by Margaret Atwood. Even though the book was published 34 years ago, it now more relevant than ever, with what is currently happening in a fractured USA. As the the recent ruling against abortion in Alabama, Ohio and Missouri shows, “The Handmaid's Tale” is no longer a metaphor - it is fast becoming a reality.

Season 3 of “The Handmaid's Tale” ups the ante as the resistance grows against the regime of Gilead. Offred (Elisabeth Moss), who has sacrificed her chance to escape, returns to fight back, with all the allies that she can garner, and with whatever means that she can muster. It is time for each and everyone to take a stand.

Cast members Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenie, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley and Bradley Whitford reprise their roles in Season 3 together with Elisabeth Moss, who plays Offred with such astonishing defiance and ferocity.

Red Dot Diva admits that it can be difficult to watch the ugly scenes that unfold during some of the episodes in “The Handmaid's Tale”. However, these are very same scenes that speak to her regarding her existence as a woman, and reminds her not to take the rights that she now have for granted. It is also a cry to continually make a stand for more freedom to be accorded to women, and for more barriers to be broken.

On 6 June, 3 episodes of “The Handmaid's Tale” will premiere in Asia, exclusively on HBO GO. A new episode of the 13-episode third season will premiere every subsequent Thursday. Red Dot Diva highly recommends that you watch the past two seasons before beginning with Season 3. All the episodes of Season 1 and 2 are available on the streaming platform for your binging needs.

For those who prefer a non-streaming platform, the series is also available on HBO On Demand.

 

Black Mirror Teases Return of Season 5 on Netflix , 5 June 2019

Emmy Award-winning science fiction anthology “Black Mirror” has released a teaser for its 5th season, which will premiere 5 June, exclusively on Netflix.

The inventive show, created by Charlie Brooker, consists of dark tales that unfold in a familiar, yet dystopian, technology-driven world set in the near future. It is this familiarity, the reflection of our basic human flaws, and the plausible scenarios depicted that provide viewers with an uncomfortable sense of paranoia.

Killer robotic dogs? With Boston Dynamics showing off the technological advances with their  animal-like bots... Yep! Totally possible. Dating apps that dictating your life, including how long you need to live with someone? Not too far away from reality. Same for people who are crazy... literally, off rocker insane, about raking Likes and approval on social media. With each episode, “Black Mirror” episode, the series takes you on a mostly satirical journey together with androids, augmented consciousness programs, neural implants and more.

In the upcoming season, there will be 3 new, mind-bending stories that star Anthony Mackie, Miley Cyrus, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Topher Grace, Damson Idris, Andrew Scott, Nicole Beharie, Pom Klementieff, Angourie Rice, Madison Davenport and Ludi Lin.

Check out the new trailer:



If this is the first time you have heard of “Black Mirror”, there are already four season out in the wild, plus an interactive instalment called “Bandersnatch”. There is still some time to catch up all of them before the series take us all around the bend again!

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Official website: netflix.com/blackmirror