MASSES Picks: 5 Movies You Probably Have Not Watched (August)

Posted by & filed under Entertainment, Featured, Features.

killingjoke

We’ve got a mixed bag of movies for our August edition of films you probably should watch if you’ve got any good taste… ahem. Some are pretty recent, some are classics, some are animated films and some are just downright violent and gory. Do leave a comment below to tell us what you think of this month’s selection!

1. Everybody Wants Some(2016)

Set in Texas during the 80s, college freshman Jake moves into the house of the baseball team he would be playing for. With a few days before college officially starts, Jake does what any hot-blooded male teen would do; drive around to meet chicks. With his newfound buddies, Jake goes to parties, learns impressive pickup lines, bonds with his baseball buddies and meets the first girl he falls for in his freshman year.

2. Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)

If you are familiar with the title, it’s because it shares the same name as the 1988 comic book, although this animated film elaborates a little more on Batgirl and Batman’s… err, relationship. We won’t spoil it for you but let’s just say old time Batman fans will find it gross. The plot has Batman attempting to save Commissioner Gordon and at the same time stay sane enough to get to Joker. The unnecessary romance beside, the movie stays quite true to the source and is a must watch for Batman fans.

3. Ninja Scroll (1993)

In this old school anime film, Japan is besieged by the Devils of Kimon and only Jubei, a swordsman, is standing in their way. On his journey he meets the beautiful Kagero and government spy Dakuan who join him in his quest to stop the demonic organisation from toppling the government. As he gets closer to his goal, Jubei realises the leader of the Devils of Kimon is an old acquaintance from the past that shouldn’t be alive…

4. Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)

Turning out to be the unlikeliest of heroes, the Hobo arrives in Hope Town, minding his own business until The Drake and his sons Ivan and Slick get in his way. The Drake also turns out to be the criminal mastermind behind all the corruption in the city. Fed up and realising that Hope Town needs justice, the Hobo arms himself with a shotgun, determined to rid the town of its evil the only way he knows how; the hobo way.

5. Eden Lake (2005)

This is a thoroughly f**ked up movie. Don’t say you haven’t been warned. What starts as an idyllic getaway to a remote lake soon becomes a violent fight for their lives for Jenny and Steve. Chased and hounded by a group of teens headed by Brett, Jenny and Steve soon discover how scary the English countryside can be with an ending you won’t believe…

Make Your Stories Heard by Tims Clothing

Posted by & filed under Fashion.

The ice cream-inspired clothing brand from Johor Bahru, Tims Clothing (or Tim’s for short) is teasing their upcoming collection for August and September via a inspirational video called “Make Your Stories Heard”. The Tim’s flew off to Garuda at Bandung, Indonesia where they worked with @natalie.cheryl for this simple and gritty short.

The clip is dedicated to those who always pursue their passion, whether it is as a musician, photographer, doctor… you name it. It tells us that the most important thing is to keep moving forward, your head held high and make your own stories heard.

Check out the short by Tims Clothing below:

For more information regarding their upcoming release, do follow them on their instagram and twitter.

Third Culture X Sherwan Rozan “My Love Letters To Ta-ku”

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In celebration of Ta-ku’s Malaysian debut at Good Vibes 2016, Third Culture has teamed up with artist @Sherwan Rozan on a capsule collection that pays tribute to the multi-talented Australian artist.

Being an Avid Ta-ku fan, Sherwan’s inspiration for the series started while he was eating Takoyaki:

“It all started with the Ta-kuyaki pun,” says Sherwan.

The Japanese elements in the artwork are representative of Ta-ku’s professed love for the culture.

Released under Third Culture’s in house label Three By Third Culture, the collection juxtaposes a clean white base with striking red prints. The ensemble comprises two t- shirts, two 8oz tote bags and one 6 panel cap. Each design is made in very limited quantities.

The collection is now available online at www.shopthirdculture.com. If you hate waiting you can also drop by these selected pop up stores at Old La La Vintage Market at TREC KL, 13th – 14th August and We Don’t Care at Battery Acid Club, 28th August.

YSDAF2016 Highlights 3 Local Films in a League of Their Own

Posted by & filed under Art, Entertainment.

Locally produced movies tend to be dismissed by the Malaysian collective consciousness as being substandard, unoriginal or downright dull versions of their international counterparts. Yes, shots are being fired, though I think this sentiment resonates with the majority of moviegoers here… please don’t throw popcorn at me if I’m wrong.

Occasionally, a true motion picture gem gets washed ashore from the sea of mediocrity and we squeal in delight like beach tourists would at rare sea turtle landings in Terengganu. For the upcoming Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival 2016 (YSDAF2016), they have three such gems to showcase this time around.

A platform that celebrates artistry and creativity in its many forms, YSDAF2016 will present exclusive screenings of Terbaik Dari Langit, Lelaki Harapan Dunia and Jagat. The three films, all of which were produced by local talents and scored high reviews, are very distinctive so you’ll be experiencing very different flavours and themes between them.

Directed by young Nik Amir Mustapha, Terbaik Dari Langit is a tale about four friends, reunited after being apart for 15 years, embarking on a journey together, searching for a UFO. Strained conversations and delves into their past soon transforms the trip from a search for the truth to an exploration into friendship, self-discovery and betrayal.

 

Liew Seng Tat’s comedy, Lelaki Harapan Dunia, garnered the Best Film award at 27th Malaysia Film Festival in 2015. Showcasing the local ’angkat rumah’ tradition, you will also get a glimpse into the dynamics that make up a typical Malaysian village in this hilarious satire. This one sounds like a deceptively insightful production that thinly veils its depth behind a jocular front.

 

One of the year’s most prolific movies, Jagat is a coming-of-age story set in the 90s. The protagonist struggles to abide to his dad’s strict rule while trying to resist being drawn into a life of crime. At first glance, it looks like the movie will eschew plot complexity for a relatively straightforward one that bets on hooking its audience through strong emotional resonance and well-delivered moral messaging.

Although Jagat has been nominated for nine categories, due to the lack of Bahasa Malaysia (less than 70%) being used in the script, controversy surrounds this film when it was recently segregated to a Non-Bahasa Malaysia film category in the 28th Malaysia Film Festival (FFM28).

The guys behind the festival testify that these movies are in a league of their own, so get ready to immerse yourself in the diversity of Malaysian cinema this 20th – 21st August at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac). It is open to the public and is free of charge. If you haven’t watched these films yet, you don’t have much to lose in return for probably appreciating the well-crafted labours of these talented local movie directors.

Converse All Star Chuck Taylor II : Shield Canvas

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

If you’re the type of person who would rock your Chucks all day everyday, you’ll be in awe right about now; if not, this pair could well convert you into a bonafide Chucks fans. Converse has introduced their latest range of the All Star Chuck Taylor II : Shield Canvas.

The Converse All Star Chuck Taylor II : Shield Canvas turns the classic silhouette into a weather challenging sneaker. With added water repellent Shield Canvas, removal of the medial eyelets and a gusseted tongue this pair might be an all-in-one sneaker for your daily routine. This range still maintains Chuck II distinctions which are the Nike Lunarlon sockliner, perforated micro suede liner and foam padded collar. It’s a pair that maximises both comfort and functionality with no compromise between the two.

The Converse Chuck Taylor II Shield Canvas will be available on 11th August onward at Converse retail stores nationwide and third party retailers. Priced between RM349 to RM399.

Wynken Delirium Releases 3rd Album: “Ticketless Travel Is Social Evil”

Posted by & filed under Music.

In the spirit of experimentation, Wynken Delirium has suffused distinctively traditional Asian sounds into its own brand of metal heaviness in the band’s third album, “Ticketless Travel Is Social Evil” . It’s an appropriately odd title for an oddity of an album by an oddball Malaysian band.

“We combined hardcore, classic rock, metal, progressive rock, and psychedelia with traditional music. We are big fans of bands like Queen and Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple and Black Sabbath as well as disko dangdut and rock dangdut. Combining these disparate influences into condensed songs were what we wanted to achieve with this album,” says Zaihas, the band’s guitarist.

The album, released late last month, is heavily themed around religion, cults and current issues. And what an audio treat the 10-track offering is. The album’s cultural inspirations are no afterthought; the “Artwork Beggars” track, for instance, tastefully starts off with what sounds like North Indian Tabla drums before a seamless transition into headbanging metal goodness.

“Milky Maze” on the other hand is a meticulously crafted audio rollercoaster merging the tranquillity of Chinese bamboo flute play with a riveting instrumental rock ‘n’ roll performance. It goes from mellow to an adrenaline rush and back again, all the while the flute play hardly gets overwhelmed and even melds perfectly with the rest of the “noise”.

All in all, “Ticketless Travel Is Social Evil” is the album equivalent of a thempark where the attractions – the tracks – are all diverse and a thrill to the ears. If you want a showcase of how cultural music can intersect perfectly with metal and have a crazy, but insanely prodigious baby, take a look at this album. It’s definitely one hell of a trip.
 

“Just imagine Beatles soaked into gamelan and jaipong music, for example, before being mixed with Meshuggah style,” says Zaihas.

We couldn’t say it better ourselves.

Have a listen to the album right below:

 

 
 “We were lucky to be able to work with Tony Alberto (ex Spider) who understood us well enough to produce this. Having him in the production team really opened our eyes and ears to what we could achieve songwriting wise and sonic wise. He has that gift of pushing us to the maximum,” says Zaihas.
For more details about the band feel free to check out their official pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Ivory Aisle Drops New Single “Change Of Heart”

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Following the release of “There For Me”, 4-man local rock band Ivory Aisle has unleashed their latest single titled “Change of Heart“. The track is their second audible taste tease to whet the masses’ appetite for their upcoming EP, “Happily Never After”.

Don’t let the cute video cover fool you; “Change of Heart” is not like the typical love songs saturating radio airwaves. It’s a post-hardcore styled track mixed with screamo, so if you only appreciate mainstream pop flavoured love songs by baby faced boy bands, you might want to steer away from this one.

 

Give a listen to Ivory Aisle’s new single “Change Of Heart” below!

Lyrics:

Who pulled your strings?
You changed your mind & looked away
Who pulled your strings?
You changed your ways, I stayed the same

Coursing through your veins now I can see it
Losing all your beat oh I could feel it
You’re smiling like your best tonight
Darling, darling
Holding on to my arms, grips are breaking
Any second any minute, you’re leaving
Stay with me, stay with

Remember when we used to climb these walls?
now we’re lost
I was trying to get hold of you
Remember when we used to spend the night?
Now you’re all alone

All those sleepless nights lead by a whole lot of thoughts
Losing you makes me wonder who’s at fault
After all these times we put together
Why the change of heart?
Yeah!

Coursing through your veins now I can see it
Losing all your beat oh I could feel it
You’re smiling like your best tonight
Darling, darling
Holding on to my arms, grips are breaking
Any second any minute, you’re leaving
Stay with me, stay with

Remember when we used to climb these walls?
& now we’re lost
I was trying to get hold of you
Remember when we used to spend the night?
Now you’re all alone

Remember when
Remember when we used to climb these walls?
I was trying to get hold of you
Remember when we used to spend the night?
Now you’re all alone

 

For more information and updates don’t forget to stay connected with the band’s official social media on Facebook and Twitter.

The Hundreds Fall 16 Collection

Posted by & filed under Fashion, Lifestyle.

Los Angeles-based company The Hundreds has presented their Fall 16 collection to fellow Malaysians. This Fall 16 collection takes us back to the brands’ roots, which is traditional California-inspired work-wear with improved quality and appealing designs. The Hundreds aims to increase the functionality of the clothes while still maintaining the originality of the classic silhouettes by using heavier fabrics.

The Hundreds Fall 16 Collection is available at MajorDrop, Showroom, The Cap City and 9 Helena Road.

St Savantgarten “Bootlegged” Upcycled Jacket series ‘16

Posted by & filed under Fashion.

As you may know from our previous post, Stakes has released their latest summer and spring lookbook called the “Savantgarten Bootlegged”. This time around, they have extended their product line to feature a new and unique upcycled jacket as well as a long sleeve piece too.

What’s interesting about this collection is that it adds the zen punk patch style into every design. It’s edgy and a perfect inclusion to your wardrobe for everyday streetwear.

For those who are interested in purchasing their latest products, do head to their official website or you can drop by their at their retailers Patternstore SS15, Subang Jaya and Depotbydevise TTDI, Taman Tun.

Wakai X Cordura Presents Truly Durable, Versatile, Reliable Footwear

Posted by & filed under Lifestyle, Sneakers.

Those aware of CORDURA will know that the name has always been synonymous with resilient fabrics. It’s tried and tested fabric technologies are perfect to tackle the great outdoors or endure heavy use. This has translated to the fact that many manufacturers utilise it in the making of high performance gear and fashion.

Japanese footwear brand Wakai is yet another to utilise this fabric as evidenced in its latest team up with CORDURA for a range of shoes that embody a perfect harmony of reliability, durability and versatility.

The new footwear collection, simply titled Wakai x Cordura, also sees the use of Wakaisphere, a new super foam present in Wakai’s newer range of shoes. By combining Cordura’s strong fabrics, the super comfy memory insole afforded by the Wakaisphere and the premium quality Happifito outsole, these minimalist and casual shoes are both trendy and robust, without looking bulky.

Have a look at the shoe in various colourations right below:

The Wakai X Cordura shoes will be available at all selected Wakai’s retail stores in Malaysia.