Monday 31 January 2011

Dual Matrix sequel reports 'a hoax'

Just the other day I've posted a report claiming that Matrix 4 & 5 are on its way, but unfortunately, it turn out to be that the news were nothing more than a hoax.

Administrators at the London school have come forth to say Keanu Reeves didn't even have a scheduled appearance there at all this week. Whoever it was who started this story was just making stuff up out of thin air.

After the school denied the story, Reeves's people did as well, saying the reports were completely bogus and there is no official word on any continuation to the Matrixmovie franchise.

The initial rumor said that not only was The Matrix 4 on the way, and set to be filmed in 3D, but there were already plans for The Matrix 5 to come out as well.

The report also suggested that movie producers had been in talks with James Cameron to get tips about how to create the best 3D movie experience. Cameron hasn't responded to that apparently bogus claim but it's pretty clear now that that hasn't happened.

So, unfortunately, your dreams of seeing a Matrix movie filmed in 3D may not be as close to reality as it seemed just a couple days ago. Oh well...

Source: Stuff

Cosplay in Brunei


Last Sunday (30th Jan 2011), an article about coplaying in Brunei have been published in The Brunei Times.

Quotes from the article, "YOU don't have to be a superhero to have an alter-ego these days. All it takes is a little ingenuity, free time and some handiwork and you're ready to disguise yourself as whoever you want to be. Okay, maybe a costume would be better to have but at least in the times we are in now, we would not feel as silly as when we used to tie a blanket around our necks when we were kids.

Cosplay, a name that is now generalises individuals all around the world who dress themselves up as either cartoon-like characters or even near movie-accurate costumes.

The word cosplay initially derives from the combination of the words "costume play" which is basically is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea.

Brunei has its own collective of cosplay individualists who have secretly walked amongst us, displaying their passion and devotion to the activity. Recently, a small group of "cosplayers" sat down with The Brunei Times to shed some more light on the shroud that surrounds the public eye on Cosplay and their own agendas behind the world spreading trend."

You can read the full article HERE.

And you can also check past cosplaying activities that have been covered by me... here are the list:
DevMeet Gathering 2009 Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3
and the latest one, New Year Eve Gathering at JP.

Other than that, there are also appearances by the 501st Legion Malaysia-Brunei Outpost...
They also made a special appearance during the AVE Reopening

Saturday 29 January 2011

BoA to make Hollywood debut

Korean pop star BoA is adding her name to the growing list of domestic celebrities launching in Hollywood, with her film "Cobu 3D", SM Entertainment announced Friday.

The 24-year-old singer will debut opposite American reality TV star Derek Hough, one of the champions on "Dancing with the Stars". Duane Adler, writer of "Save the Last Dance" and "Step Up", will direct his original screenplay, alongside producer Robert Cort ("Jumanji", "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure").

"Cobu 3D" tells the tale of two dancers from opposite worlds, who find romance in an underground New York club despite their gangs' rivalry. The film looks to differentiate itself from the recent slew of dance films by focusing on a solid storyline and incorporating a diversity of styles ― hip hop, swing, tap ― according to the press release.

Shooting begins in Toronto and New York this spring, the work is set for release in 2012. Lionsgate International will handle overseas distribution, while CJ Entertainment manages Korea, Japan and China.

The film will begin pre-sales at the February Berlin International Film Festival.

The Angry Birds are Flying to Rio


ANGRY BIRDS, Rovio’s blockbuster smart phone and tablet game that has become a global cultural sensation, and RIO, one of the year’s most anticipated motion picture events, are joining forces to create a new game, ANGRY BIRDS RIO – representing a first-of-its-kind game development partnership between Rovio and Twentieth Century Fox. The announcement was made today by Mikael Hed, CEO at Rovio Mobile, which created ANGRY BIRDS, and Peter Levinsohn, president of new media and digital distribution for Twentieth Century Fox, which releases RIO in theaters worldwide on April 15.

This unique spin-off of ANGRY BIRDS will take flight around the world in March, coinciding with RIO’s gala world premiere event. To celebrate the partnership and give fans a sneak preview of the story surrounding ANGRY BIRDS RIO, Rovio and Fox have posted a video (view below!)

"ANGRY BIRDS RIO is a match made in heaven for a mobile application and a major motion picture, and this collaboration with Fox is definitely one the most exciting partnerships we have entered into with the ANGRY BIRDS brand to date," said Mr. Hed. "In addition to expanding the horizons of two fantastic entertainment brands and creating a great new gaming experience, we have also taken the concept of combining a mobile application and motion picture promotion to an entirely new level."

“In partnering with Rovio, we are combining the world’s hottest application developer with one of the motion picture industry’s premier creative forces to introduce the millions of fans of ANGRY BIRDS to the exciting world of RIO,” said Mr. Levinsohn. “Our relationship with Rovio is another great example of Fox Digital Entertainment’s continuing work to extend our content to a variety of digital platforms.”

In ANGRY BIRDS RIO, the original Angry Birds are kidnapped and taken to the magical city of Rio, where they eventually escape their captors and set out to save their friends, Blu and Jewel – two rare macaws and the stars of the upcoming Fox motion picture, RIO. Like the incredibly-popular original edition, ANGRY BIRDS RIO will feature hours of gameplay, physics-based demolition challenges and loads of replay value – all with unique twists based on the highly-anticipated film.

ANGRY BIRDS RIO will launch with 45 dedicated levels and will regularly add new levels via app updates. The game will be available for download on smart phones and tablets worldwide.


Friday 28 January 2011

The Lost Bladesman Poster


Synopsis: During the warring period of the three kingdoms, ancient China is in turmoil. To unify the country general CAO CAO, the real power behind the emperor, enlists the aid of the greatest warrior in the land Guan Yun Chang (Donnie Yen). However, Guan is a loyal friend of Cao’s enemy Liu Bei. To persuade the peerless warrior to fight, Cao takes his beloved Qi Lan hostage. After leading Cao Cao's forces to victory Guan Yun Chang sets out with Qi Lan to rejoin Liu Bei. But now Cao has deemed him too great a threat to live, and on the journey he must face all the forces at the emperor's command sent to destroy him.

The Story Of 'Idol' Contestant Chris Medina

In October 2009, only two months before they were supposed to wed, Chris's 23-year-old fiancée Juliana Ramos sustained a traumatic brain injury in a horrific car crash and lapsed into a lengthy coma. She has yet to recover from her massive, life-changing injuries, and since the accident, Chris has dedicated himself to being her caretaker. "What kind of guy would I be if I walked out when she needed me the most?" he explained.

Even in a season already packed with sob stories, this one was a doozy--in fact maybe the sobbiest sob story in all 10 "Idol" seasons. Even class-clown judge Steven Tyler became visibly choked up when Chris brought the wheelchair-bound Juliana into the audition room to say hello, hugging her and telling her through tears, "That's why he sings so good, because he sings to you."

It was a TV moment that would seemingly melt the heart of even toughie Simon Cowell. But in an "Idol" age of general sob-story fatigue, after seasons of cancer survivors, foster kids, orphans, and struggling single parents, some nasty blogs and commenters are now accusing Chris of exploiting his misfortune--or, more specifically, Juliana's--to further his musical career. It's far from the first time such accusations have been thrown around regarding "Idol"--another Milwaukee contestant, young widower Danny Gokey, who frequently spoke about his deceased wife Sofia, comes to mind.

And I suppose I see such points. Let's face it, Chris's audition was good, but not great. He was far from the best singer of the night. We wouldn't even be talking about him now if it weren't for Juliana's tragic tale. What was memorable about him wasn't his song, or his voice, or his stage presence. It was his back story. But TV producers love this sort of tearjerking tale and the buzz it creates. So if any exploitation was perpetrated, the producers are probably to blame, not Chris.

Additionally, there's the issue of who will care for Juliana if Chris competes in Hollywood for months, or that his band back home is unfortunately named the Able Body, or that the moment when Juliana was wheeled into the audition room, looking confused and unable to communicate, was a bit uncomfortable to watch. But you know what? Sometimes LIFE is uncomfortable. It's not always pretty or easy. Really now, if Chris was such a jerk, as his detractors claim, then he would have abandoned Juliana months ago. Very few men Chris's age would have the courage and character to stick by her like he has. Perhaps what makes some viewers uncomfortable is the nagging realization that they might not be so noble if they were in his shoes.

Even a quick look at the Laurus Foundation webpage set up to collect donations for Juliana's medical expenses, or the "For Juliana" Facebook tribute page co-run by Chris and Juliana's mother, Janet Barnes, indicates that Chris is the real deal. This week on the Facebook page, Janet blogged:

"There is a man in our lives that has risen from a crisis to be a hero. You know that already because I have said it a hundred times in a hundred ways through this blog. Our very own Chris Medina has spent days and nights, losing blood, sweat and oh yes A LOT of tears to beg his fiancée back to health. And through it all he has become deeper, more centered, and an even more soulful individual. This has been witnessed by all of us from his mannerisms to his music. If you didn't love him before, you do now. If you DID love him, you now adore him."



Clearly much, if not all, of America now adores Chris too. It remains to be seen if he can win this thing--like I said, his voice is not the best of the bunch--but if his "Idol" audition draws attention to Juliana's cause and helps them build a better future together, then that's a good thing. Just check out this video Chris made on what was supposed to have been his wedding day, for a song titled "What Has Become of Me" that he wrote while Juliana was still in the hospital:

Red Riding Hood 2nd Trailer

Thursday 27 January 2011

Camel On High

Official Thundercats Design Released

Roaring to life through WBA and Studio4°C’s use of the Japanese animated artistry of anime, “ThunderCats” characters Lion-O, Mumm-Ra, Panthro, Cheetara and others will spring off the screen with realistic cat-like characteristics inconceivable in previous incarnations.

The new “ThunderCats” will appeal to viewers who have loved the characters all their lives as well as young newcomers to the franchise. A sweeping tale combining swords and science and boasting ferocious battles with the highest of stakes, the grand origin story of Prince Lion-O’s ascension to the throne – and of those who would thwart his destiny at any cost – takes on epic dimensions in this sharp new telling. As the forces of good and evil battle each other in the quest for the fabled Stones of Power, Lion-O and his champions learn valuable lessons of loyalty, honor and mortality in every episode.

“ThunderCats” is executive produced by Sam Register (“Teen Titans,” “Ben 10,” “Batman: The Brave and the Bold”). Michael Jelenic (“Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” “Wonder Woman”) and Ethan Spaulding (“Avatar: The Last Airbender”) are the producers.



While the photos below were taken by a poster of Thundercats Lair Message Board, which he took from a London Toy Fair.

Ricoh unveils CX5 compact superzoom


RICOH COMPANY, LTD: (helmed by president and CEO Shiro Kondo) will be releasing its newly developed CX5 digital camera model with its wide-angle, high magnification 10.7x optical zoom (28–300 mm) lens, which has a higher autofocus speed due to the use of Ricoh's new hybrid AF system.

With the new CX5 model, AF focusing times are decreased to as low as 0.2 sec. for both wide-angle 28 mm and telephoto 300 mm, up to half as short compared to the CX4, using Ricoh's unique new hybrid AF system.

This ensures that you reliably capture the image you were waiting for, never to miss another good shot again.

Using super-resolution technology, the CX5 also allows (1) recording of images with improved resolution using the "Super-resolution" setting and (2) telephoto shooting at up to 600 mm equivalent with minimal degradation in image quality using "Super-resolution Zoom."

Furthermore, in addition to the new Cooking, Fireworks, and Continuous Golf Swing scene modes, the CX5 has improved features that make shooting photographs even more fun through the use of super-resolution zoom during Zoom Macro mode shooting and other functions.

The CX5 is an even more enhanced compact digital camera that was designed based on the concept of it being "a tool that you will find yourself wanting to use every day."

Available in three colors: Black, Silver, and Pink.

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Incoming Dark Cloud

3D Matrix Movies On The Way?

The Matrix was heralded for its unbelievable special effects. It defined the movie. And now, it looks like the movie franchise will take it up a notch to go for the most stunning 3D ever seen in a movie.

Franchise star Keanu Reeves has reportedly mentioned being tapped for two new movies to follow the ongoing adventures of the aging Neo. They would be direct sequels to the last title in the series, The Matrix 3.

Other than the Matrix films, Keanu Reeves talked about a possibility of a Bill and Ted 3 movie. He also talked about how the Wachowski’s had just sold the most expensive script to Warner Bros., a modern futuristic take on Robin Hood. It cost Warner Bros. $5 million and Will Smith agreed to be the main character.

Bloody Fight Poster and Trailer



Shotgun Love Poster and Teaser



Nikon releases firmware update for D3100

Nikon has released a firmware update for the D3100 digital SLR that addresses a significant list of bugs and errors. Firmware v1.01 rectifies errors relating to autofocus, playback and noise reduction. This includes the reduction of a magenta cast at the bottom of still images captured at high ISO settings after using live view or movie shooting for a long period. The firmware is available for immediate download from Nikon's website.

Click HERE for more information and to download firmware v1.01 for Nikon D3100

Twin Camel

Five New Sucker Punch Character Banners





X-Men: First Class Teaser Poster

First Look at Silent Hill: Downpour








Saturday 22 January 2011

Super Monkey Returns Poster and Trailer




BIBD Annual General Meeting

ISLAMIC bank, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), announced that their profit for the fiscal year of 2009 has increased by 14.8 per cent.

BIBD, during their fourth Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Universiti Brunei Darussalam's Chancellor Hall yesterday, announced that after zakat and taxation, they saw an increase equivalent to $10.43 million.

With reference to BIBD's audited financial statement, their balance sheet as of December 31, 2009, showed that the bank's total assets were worth $4.42 billion.

"The profit before zakat and taxation for 2009 on the other hand, was $101.99 million, which is an equivalent to an increase of 4.7 per cent compared to 2008," the bank said in a statement.

Present to chair the AGM yesterday was the the Chairman of the Board of BIBD's directors, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar.

The Chairman in his speech to shareholders also declared the dividends for the year of 2009 where the proposed dividends for the year was approved at 3.7 cents per share.

The bank has a capital base of $791.05 million which provided financial flexibility for potential business growth both locally and regionally.

"This also ensures that the bank's depositors' funds are well protected by its strong capital base and fundamentally by a strong business base," BIBD said.

Pehin Dato Hj Yahya said that 2009 was a "very progressive" year for the bank, with a number of milestones.

"BIBD was chosen as Joint Lead Managers for the distribution of the Sukuk Islamic Development Bank (IDB) worth as much as US$1.5 billion ($2.1 billion). This is a first not just for BIBD, but for the country," said the chairman.

Within the same year, BIBD also managed to be nominated as "Joint Lead Arranger" with Citigroup and Goldman Sachs in the issuance of General Electric Capital Corporation's Sukuk (GECC).

"The year 2009 was also significant for the bank's Corporate Social Responsbility (CSR) with contributions to the Youth Development Centre along with other activities to support the youths, not to mention the successful Wish Campaign," said Pehin Dato Hj Yahya.



































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