Sunday, April 18, 2021

Phantom on the Scan #1 Is An Atmospheric Start To A Creepy Paranormal Tale


Writer Cullen Bunn and artist Mark Torres, co-creators of the chilling horror series “COLD SPOTS”, have teamed up again with another supernatural tale with AfterShock Comics. Their new series called “PHANTOM ON THE SCAN” was launched last week, and the first issue offers intriguing teasers about how the story is going to unfold in the next week books.

Lead character Matthew Jordan began manifesting his psychic powers through a child spectre, after a comet fell to earth 20 years ago. Every time he uses his abilities, he feels his life force being drained away.

Matt learns that he is not the only one experiencing this phenomenon, and gathers together a group of psychics with an objective to save themselves from certain death. However, when one of them dies horribly during their first meeting, they discover something even more sinister is out to get them.

Monday, April 12, 2021

Ticket Reservation for Singapore's Museum of Ice Cream at Dempsey Is Available Now!


The Museum of Ice Cream will be opening at a 60,000 square foot space in Dempsey this August 2021. Limited tickets are available for reservation right now!

The wildly popular New York-based interactive attraction dedicated to the joy and power of ice cream, is getting ready for the Red Dot Island edition. This is the first venue for the museum that is located outside of the USA.

Get your ice-cream loving soul ready to experience about 14 colourful installations, including a “Dragon Playground” that consists of a massive sprinkle pool. And of course, there will be actual ice cream that you can slurp on! During a guide 60-90 minute experience by the museum's performers, five kinds of ice cream will be available for visitors to enjoy.

Here's a peek as to what the photo-worthy Museum of Ice Cream NYC looks like. By all accounts, the exuberant, bubble-gum pink aesthetic will be replicated in the local version. It looks like a haven for selfie lovers!

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Columbia Pictures' Aquaverse Theme Park in Thailand Set To Open in October 2021


With overseas travel plans stalled for more than a year, people are understandably craving to get on a plane and out of this island for a change of scenery. Well, here is a motivation to save more travel money and head to Thailand, when things improve concerning the current pandemic and travel bubbles are established.

Set to open from October 2021, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Amazon Falls have collaborated to develop Columbia Picture's first theme and water park at Bangsaray, a seaside town located 20 minutes from Pattaya and 90 minutes from Bangkok. The new tourist destination, set within a 14-acre area, is called “Columbia Pictures’ Aquaverse”.

There will be exciting, state-of-the-art rides, live shows, interactive props and themed restaurants featuring favourite characters from Columbia Pictures' movies like Ghostbusters, Men in Black and Hotel Transylvania, that will cater to visitors of all ages. And of course, the opportunity to buy those specially curated merchandise to add to your collection.

A total of 8 highly immersive theme zones have been planned for the park so far. Here is the list of the fun stuff you can look forward to!

Saturday, April 3, 2021

Godzilla vs. Kong - A Monster Flick That Is Pure Escapism


Let's admit it. When one goes to watch a movie called “GODZILLA vs. KONG”, one should not be expecting much other than a massive showdown between two alpha titans.

It does not matter if you are Team Godzilla or Team Kong. The payoff for having the two monsters get into a loud, messy fisticuff is quite a thrill.

The CGI is great for some parts, and generic for most of it. However, it is the camera work that takes you on a visceral ride while Godzilla and Kong engage in their smash and bash. For a few seconds, you are up close and personal with Kong as his eye stares right into a space-age travel pod, or you are placed in the middle of the melee, as your line of sight swerving around angry monsters in the heart of central Hong Kong. It seems that director Adam Wingard had tailor-made the scenes for an amusement park ride.

Monday, March 15, 2021

Zack Snyder's Justice League Is A Spellbinding Visual Wonder


After several years of hardcore fans clamouring for the Snydercut to be released, the moment of truth will be revealed to the world's audiences in just 2 days.

ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE” aka the Snydercut is set to premiere on 18 March, streaming via HBO GO for fans in Asia (*). The director's cut entailing how the 6 superheroes - Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) came together as a team - consists of hours of unseen footage and alternate dialogue. The movie is rated NC16 across Asia.

Red Dot Diva had access to an official screener a few days ago, and yes, she has watched the entire thing, all 4 hours and 2 minutes of it.

Verdict? Justice is served.

The movie is absolutely epic. A beautiful opera worthy of the DC superheroes legacy we hold dear to our hearts.

The running time of “ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE” may seem daunting, but Red Dot Diva did not feel that it was a slog at all. That itself is a testament to the skilfulness of Zack Snyder and his production team regarding the film's editing and pace. The movie is segmented into 6 parts and an epilogue.

Compared to the critically panned theatrical version in 2017 which had director Joss Whedon (who was uncredited) changing parts of the script and re-shooting several of the original scenes, “ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE” is a far superior version in many ways.

*** WARNING: THE FOLLOWING MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS ***

*****

Sunday, March 7, 2021

Netflix's Pacific Rim: The Black Expands The Franchise's Lore in Intriguing Ways


Kaijus, mechas, anime-style action and Idris Elba. That was what made “PACIFIC RIM” the 2013 creature feature directed by Guillermo del Toro, so much fun to watch. And also Idris Elba. Mmmmm, yes ... Red Dot Diva has to mention him twice.

Five years later, the sequel “PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING” did not fare so well. It was missing the magic touch of Guillermo del Toro and screenwriter Travis Beacham. Despite the loud action sequences, the story was flat and souless. Thankfully, Netflix's new anime series “PACIFIC RIM: THE BLACK” sets things right for the franchise.

The anime series is set in Australia, where various kaiju have taken over the continent. After a terrible battle with a bunch of kaijus five years ago, the jaeger pilot parents of siblings Taylor and Hayley decided to leave them and a few other children at a remote natural sanctuary near an abandoned base of operations. They then went off with their jaeger Hunter Vertigo looking for help, with a promise to return. Since that day, the Pan Pacific Defense Corp, who are in charge of the Jaegers, had implemented an initiative called "The Black". What exactly that is, no one really knows.

Saturday, February 27, 2021

The Marksman Is Standard Liam Neeson Fare, But Slower


Veteran star Liam Neeson has done a Hayao Miyakazi, that is, publicly announce that they plan to "retire", and then come back doing the thing they do best. Now in his late 60s, Neeson is back starring as a lead in an action-thriller called “THE MARKSMAN”. The movie opened at local theatres a few days ago on 25 February.

Living in his ranch at the Arizona-Mexico border, Vietnam war veteran Jim Hanson (Liam Neeson) is leading a lonely life together with his trusty pet dog. He has just lost his wife to cancer, and he is about to lose his property to the bank too. He passes by his days with melancholy, downing a regular bottle of whisky, and saving his livestock from coyotes - thanks to his skills as a marksman. From time to time, Hanson would notify the border patrol whenever he spots illegal immigrants pass by his land.