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10 inspirational Eminem songs to pump up your day

It doesn’t matter if you love him or not, Eminem is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in the music industry.

Rolling Stone magazine listed him as one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, even calling him the King of Hip Hop.

In 2018, Eminem is back making headlines again.

He dropped an album unlike any other artist in this age of constant news streams: There was not even a single word about it, no teaser on social media, no snippets anywhere, no promotional activities and not even an announcement of the release date.

Although it was a surprise album, Kamikaze, skyrocketed to number one on the US iTunes sales chart on Aug 31, the day it was released.

The rapper, who is known as a lyrical genius, once again proved his mastery with words and rhymes through Kamikaze.

Eminem e1536134334270
Eminem, or his real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III. Credits: Eminem’s Youtube page.

Speaking of lyrics, here are 10 songs with inspirational lyrics from Eminem to motivate you from your slump:

1.Lose Yourself (2002)

We cannot talk about any of Eminem’s songs without talking about “Lose Yourself”. Music critics praised it as the rapper’s best work to date. Eminem wrote it for the 2002 movie 8 Mile. The song went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2003. It was the first hip hop song to win this award.

Look, if you had one shot, one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted
One moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip

2. ‘Till I Collapse (2002)

If you listen to this song closely, the song uses the “stomp-stomp-clap” beats in Queen’s “We Will Rock You” (1977). The song featured the late Nate Dogg singing the hook.

‘Cause sometimes you just fell tired, you feel weak
And when you feel weak you feel like you want to just give up
But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength
And just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up
And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you want to just fall flat on your face and collapse

3. Beautiful (2009)

Eminem is known to sample songs from other artists in his tracks. In “Beautiful”, he samples Queen + Paul Rodgers’s “Reaching Out” at the beginning and end of this song.

But don’t let ‘em say you ain’t beautiful
They can all get f****d, just stay true to you
Don’t let ‘em say you ain’t beautiful
They can all get f****d, just stay true to you

4. Phenomenal (2015)

This song is from soundtrack album for Southpaw, a movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal. From the lyrics to its beats, the track is indeed phenomenal.

I am phenomenal
However long that it takes
I’ll go to whatever lengths
It’s gonna make me a monster though
I am phenomenal
But I never say, oh, it’s impossible
‘Cause I’m gonna be phenomenal

5. The Way I Am (2000)

“The Way I Am” presents the darker side of Eminem. He directed the lyrics toward record executives who pressured him and fans who invaded his privacy, telling them he is the way he is.

So if you need to scream at people who would not leave you alone, sing this song chorus instead.

And I am, whatever you say I am
If I wasn’t, then why would I say I am

6.Not Afraid (2010)

This track takes more of a positive tone in which Eminem raps about getting clean from drugs and staying away from violence. Rolling Stone ranked it as one of the best 100 songs in 2010.

I’mma be what I set out to be, without a doubt undoubtedly
And all those who look down on me, I’m tearin’ down your balcony

7. Guts over Fear (2014)

“Guts over Fear” is the second time Eminem collaborated with Australian singer Sia after “Beautiful Pain”(2013). Again, the rapper in his all honesty sharing his struggles as an artist through this song.

Guts over fear (The Time is here)
Guts over fear (I shall not tear)
For all the times I let you push around
And let you keep me down
(Now I got) Guts over fear, guts over fear

8. Kings Never Die (2015)

When you are on top of your game, many people would try to bring you down. In this song, Eminem hits out on those who wanting him to retire from the music scene. It also marks Eminem and Gwen Stefani’s first collaboration.

Stop for no one, I don’t know but I’ve been told an obstacle that
Blocks your road, knock it over, time to go for that pot of gold

9. Survival (2013)

Apart from movies, Eminem’s songs has also been featured in games. Survival was released to promote the game Call of Duty: Ghosts. It features Liz Rodrigues of The New Royales singing the chorus of the song.

It ain’t over ‘til I say it’s over, enough when I say enough
Throw me to them wolves and close the gate up on me
Afraid of what’ll happen to them wolves
When the thought of being thrown into an alligator pit, I salivated it

10. No Love (2010)

“No Love” was one of Eminem’s single from his seventh album. Featuring fellow rapper Lil Wayne, the song samples Haddaway’s classic “What is Love”.

‘Til I’m toppling from the top I’m not going to stop, I’m standing on my Monopoly board
That means I’m on top of my game and it don’t stop, ‘til my hip don’t hop anymore
When you’re so good that you can’t say it ‘cause it ain’t even cool for you to sound cocky anymore

KajoPicks: 10 South Korean horror movies you must watch

South Korean horror movies might not have the same reputation as Thai horror flicks but they do have horrifying, fear-eliciting movies to offer.

Korean Horror movie
A Tale of Two Sisters.

If you are looking for South Korean horror movies to watch, KajoMag suggests these 10 picks:

1. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

Inspired by Korean folktale Janghwa Hongryeon jeon, A Tale of Two Sisters is an award-winning twisted psychological horror drama.

The folktale is similar to Cinderella except that there are two Cinderellas and the stepmother is even more evil.

In this modern remake, the movie follows a mental hospit patient who comes home to her stepmother and the ghosts haunting their house.

2. The Wailing (2016)

Commercially successful, The Wailing follows the story of a police officer named  Jong-goo who investigates a mysterious disease in a rural village.

Now comes the question, is it a disease or something more paranormal?

3. Thirst (2009)

Basically, this is a vampire movie but with an illicit love story thrown into it. It tells the story of a priest, in love with his friend’s wife and turning into a vampire all thanks to a failed medical experiment.

4. Epitaph (2007)

There should be a ground rule against people falling falling in love with corpses.
Nonetheless, that is what happens in the movie Epitaph whereby a doctor fell in love with the body of his deceased fiancee.

5. Whispering Corridors (1998)

The first of the Whispering Corridors film series, the movie follows the haunting and deaths in an all-girl high school.
The film spurs four more sequels but none of them share the same plots and characters. They just use an all-female high school as background because female ghosts always seem to be scarier than their male counterparts.

6.Arang (2006)

Veteran detective So-young (Song Yoon-ah) has to solve a murder case and at the same time is haunted in her dreams by a girl who has been dead 10 years.

Are these two cases related? This is a mixture of horror and thriller laced with rape and revenge stories.

7.The Red Shoes (2005)

The first lesson from this Korean horror is never ever pick up something that doesn’t belong to you.

When Sun-jae (Kim Hye-soo) brings back a pair of bright pink high heels from the subway, that is when all hell breaks lose.

8. Death Bell (2008)

How far would you go to avenge your daughter’s death? Would you go as far as killing her teacher and classmates? Besides people dropping dead one by one, the movie also highlights the competitiveness in the Korean education system to enroll for college.

9. Hansel and Gretel (2007)

This Korean horror flick is an adaptation of the classic Hansel and Gretel but with many twisted plots.

In this version of the famous tale, Hansel is a murderous kid who has a dark past and a hell of a temper.

10. The Cat (2011)

If you think fluffy, cute kitties cannot star in horror movies, this Korean horror movie will prove you wrong.

Park Min-young stars as So-yeon, a pet groomer who starts to see a ghostly young girl with cat-like eyes.

If you can’t stand cats dying in a movie, The Cat is certainly not for you.

KajoPicks: 18 Bollywood romance movies you must watch

Bollywood romance movies are popular for their main leads breaking into lip-syncing and dancing every now and then.

For Malaysians who have grown up watching Bollywood movies on national TV, their captivating plots, dramatic acting and humour transcend cultural boundaries and always leave us wanting more.

Here are 18 Bollywood romance movies you must watch at least once in your life:

1.Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)

This list would not be complete without Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. It is one of the highest-grossing Bollywood movies in India and abroad.

The plot circles around the love triangle story of Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan), Anjali (Kajol) and Tina (Rani Mukerji).
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai marks Karan Johar’s directorial debut who later directed, produced and wrote many Bollywood blockbusters.

Watch the trailer here.

2. Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

When Naina (Preity Zinta) falls in love with her terminally-ill neighbour Aman (Shah Rukh Khan), Aman tries to get her friend Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) to fall for her instead.

Karan Johar wrote this movie and co-produced it with his father, Yash. It was the last film Yash was involved with before his death in 2004.

Watch the trailer here.

3. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

Here is another movie produced by a father-son pair. Aditya Chopra directed and co-wrote this film while his father Yash produced it.

The story follows Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) and Simran (Kajol) who fall in love during a vacation through Europe.

Watch the trailer here.

4. Veer-Zaara (2004)

The subject of cross-boundary love between India and Pakistan has been a popular theme for many Bollywood movies.

However, the most memorable of the bunch is Veer-Zaara in which Veer (Shah Rukh Khan) is an Indian Air Force pilot who falls in love with Zaara, a Pakistani woman from Lahore.

Watch the trailer here.

5. Hum Tum (2004)

Not all Bollywood romance movies are about forbidden and unrequited love.

Starring Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mekerji, Hum Tum follows the encounters of the two leads over several years and various meetings until they eventually fall in love.

Watch the trailer here.

6. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)

Loosely based on Maitreyi Devi’s Bengali novel Na Hanyate, the movie is another Bollywood cliched love triangle story.

The movie starred Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and Aishwarya Rai.

Watch the trailer here.

7. Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)

Who wouldn’t want to compete for the love and attention of King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan onscreen or off-screen?

Understandably in this movie, two dancers played by Madhuri Dixit and Karishma Kapoor were both in love with Rahul played by Khan.

Watch the trailer here.

8. Mohabbatein (2000)

If it is a movie starring King of Bollywood (Shah Rukh Khan) and Shahenshah of Bollywood (Amitabh Bachchan), then you have to watch it.

Mohhabbatein follows the story of a headmaster (Bachchan) who enforces a strict rule of no romance among his students. Then, comes a music teacher (Khan) who is a strong believer of the power of love.

Watch the trailer here.

9. Devdas (2002)

Set in the early 1900s, Devdas was one of the most expensive Bollywood film ever produced.

It follows the story of Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) who is in love with his childhood sweetheart Paro (Aishwarya Rai) despite his family’s objection.

Watch the trailer here. 

10. Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001)

This movie is famous for its tag-line “It’s All About Loving Your Parents.” And the parents who acted in this film are real life husband and wife, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan.

In the story, Amitabh plays a successful businessman who is against his adopted son’s marriage with a poor girl.

Watch the trailer here.

11. Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na (2008)

Jai (Imran Khan) and Aditi (Genelia D’Souza) are two best friends with completely different personalities. Their families and friends believe they are meant for each other but they disagree.

Watch the trailer here.

12. Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012)

Directed by Yash Chopra, this film stars Shah Rukh Khan as Samar, a bomb disposal expert, who has a whirlwind romance with Meera (Katrina Kaif).

This is Chopra’s final film before his death in 2012.

Watch the trailer here.

13. Om Shanti Om (2007)

A fictional love story wouldn’t be fun without some reincarnation going on. This story follows Om (Shah Rukh Khan) a junior artist in the 70s who died trying to rescue his love and was then reincarnated as a superstar in the 2000s to avenge his love.

Shah Rukh’s wife Gauri Khan produced this film.

Watch the trailer here.

14. Kaho Naa Pyaa’r Hai (2000)

Would you fall in love with your deceased boyfriend’s doppelganger? Apparently in Kaho Naa Pyaa’r Hai, it is possible to do that.

Ameesha Patel in her first acting role as Sonia falls in love with a guy who looks exactly like her dead boyfriend played by Hrithik Roshan.

Watch the trailer here.

15. Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002)

Raj (Hrithik Roshan), Pooja (Rani Mekherjee) and Tina (Kareena Kapoor) are three childhood friends. And in true Bollywood fashion, Raj is attracted to Tina while Pooja is attracted to Raj. Who will he choose in the end?

Watch the trailer here.

16. Myaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998)

Myaar To Hona Hi Tha is a remake of the 1995 Hollywood film French Kiss starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline.

It stars real life married couple (who were still dating when this movie was filmed) Ajay Devgn and Kajol.

Watch the trailer here.

17. Jab We Met (2007)

Here is another film starring then real life dating couple, Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor.

Jab We Met is about Geet (Kareena) who bumps into Aditya (Shahid) on an overnight train to Delhi and somehow gets left stranded in the middle of nowhere.

The couple reportedly broke up in 2007 during the shooting of this film.

Watch the trailer here.

18. Lootera (2013)

Inspired by O.Henry’s short story The Last Leaf, Lootera is a period romance directed by Vikramaditya Motwane.

It stars Ranveer Singh as Varun, a young archaeologist who is in love with a landowner’s daughter Pakhi (Sonakshi Sinha).

Watch the trailer here.

KajoPicks: 5 popular Indonesian romantic movies of the 2000s

The early part of the 21st century was good for Indonesian movie industry.

This was when Indonesian movies started to penetrate and make waves in its neighbouring countries including Malaysia.

Indonesian horror movies such as Kuntilanak (2006) and Hantu Jeruk Purut (2006) were considered on par with Thai horror movies.

Besides its horror flicks, Indonesian romantic movies of the 2000s were also popular when they were released.

Even for those of us in Malaysia who might have never watched their movies, we would have at least heard their original soundtracks blasting through the radio.

So these are the top five Indonesian romantic movies of the 2000s that will make you feel nostalgic:

1.Ada Apa Dengan Cinta (2002)

Before American author wrote her book Slammed (2012) about a teenage couple connected by their passion for poetry, the Indonesians produced a movie based on a similar idea.

Cinta (played by Dian Sastrowardoyo) is the popular, beautiful school poet. Rangga (Nicholas Saputra) is the introvert, a nobody in school.

Their love story starts when Rangga’s poem was submitted to the school’s poetry contest and subsequently won, beating even Cinta’s work.

The movie was released in Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Singapore. In Japan, it was known as Beautiful Days.

Perhaps what catapulted Ada Apa Dengan Cinta to fame was its controversy for being the first Indonesian teen movie featuring a passionate kisssing scene.

But for those who have watched it, they will agree that Cinta and Rangga’s poems hit the nail right on the head making the movie worth the buzz.

Watch the trailer here. 

2. Eiffel, I’m in Love (2003)

Following the success of Ada Apa Dengan Cinta, teen romantic films started being trendy.

Eiffel, I’m in Love (2003) was the film adaptation of the best selling book of the same name by Rachmania Arunita.

The story plot follows Tita (played by Shandy Aulia) living a perfect life until her parents plan to matchmake her with Adit (Samuel Rizal).

The movie made USD6.4 million in box office and won Most Favourite Movie award at the 2004 MTV Indonesia Movie Awards.

Watch the trailer here. 

3.Heart (2006)

Heart (2006) is the story of childhood friends Rachel (Nirina Zubir) and Farel (Irwansyah). Rachel is a tomboy whom most guys feel comfortable with while Farel is the typical most handsome guy in school.

Farel falls in love with Luna (Acha Septriasa), the pretty, gentle girl that you love to hate (but you can’t).

Rachel then realises she is also in love with her best friend Farel and there you have it – a movie about friendship and a love triangle.

The movie’s soundtrack featuring Irwansyah and Acha in “My Heart” was the national anthem for dating couples when it first came out.

The song even won the Best Song at the MTV Indonesia Movie Awards in 2006.

Watch the trailer here.

4.Ayat-ayat Cinta (2008)

Like most Indonesian romantic movies, what is famous other than the film itself is the soundtrack.

This movie’s title tracks such as “Ayat-ayat Cinta” by Rossa and “Tercipta Untukku” by Ungu featuring Rossa were commercial successes.

As for the story, it is about a man pursuing his love in the Islamic way.

Ayat-ayat Cinta (2008) was the first Indonesian film to reach 3.5 million tickets sold.

Watch the trailer here.

5.Ketika Cinta Bertasbih (2009)

This is another movie breaking the 3 million tickets in sales, Ketika Cinta Bertasbih.

It is based on the best selling novel with the same title by Habiburrahman El Shirazy.

The movie has a similar theme with Ayat-ayat Cinta which is about Khairul Azzam (Kholidi Asadil Alam) looking for his love while being faithful to his Islamic faith.

Watch the trailer here.

5 Sarawakian true stories that should be made into films

Filmmakers out there! If you are running out of ideas to make a movie, here are five Sarawakian true stories that deserve their spots on the big screen!

1.The tragedy of Tanjung Jerijeh

This is a Sarawakian true story similar to James Cameron’s Titanic (1997).

On Dec 27, 1973 at around 2am, a ferry from Kuching heading to Sarikei met with tragedy at Tanjung Jerijeh.

The ferry MV Pulau Kidjang capsized at the mouth of Tanjung Jerijeh about 3.5 nautical miles from Sarikei town.

Widely considered one of the worst tragedies in Sarawak maritime history, the incident took the lives of 121 people, mostly women and children.

Reportedly only 41 bodies were found while the rest are still missing to this day.

2.Circular No. 9

How far would you go to defend your political beliefs? Would you be willing to quit your job for it?

The story starts with the anti-cession movement led by Datu Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah and Datu Patinggi Haji Mohammad Kassim.

The anti-cessionists were fighting against Sarawak being given over to Great Britain to be ruled as a crown colony, pushing for the Brookes to rule as a protectorate instead.

When Charles Vyner Brooke ceded Sarawak to Britain as a crown colony on Feb 8, 1946, it was in violation of a provision in Sarawak’s 1941 constitution, which stipulated that he would grant Sarawak the right to self-rule.

There were demonstrations all over the country of Sarawak,  most of them held by civil servants.

In response, the Governor of Sarawak issued Circular No. 9 warning civil servants that it was illegal to participate in political movements.

In protest, 338 civil servants – mostly made up of teachers – resigned on Apr 2, 1947.

These resignations caused the closure of more than 22 schools in Sarawak.

This Sarawakian true story is a tale of courage and patriotism, something that the current generation needs to be reminded of nowadays.

3.Raid on Limbang
Limbang
A boat cruising through Limbang river.

If West Malaysians have their Bukit Kepong incident, here in Sarawak we have the raid on Limbang.

When the idea of the Malaysian federation came out in the late 1950s, many disagreed, including a left-leaning Brunei politician-turned-rebel widely known as A.M. Azahari.

He led the group Brunei People’s Party and the North Kalimantan National Army (TNKU) with ideas for Brunei, North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak to form one country.

On Dec 8, 1962, TNKU militants led by Limbang native Salleh Sambas started their attacks on Limbang.

Their assault started at the local police station where they captured several rifles and machine guns.

The raid took the lives of four Sarawakian policemen. They were Corporal Kim Huat from Kuap, PC Wan Jamaluddin Tuanku Alek, PC Insoll Chundang from Saribas and PC Bujang Mohammed from Kuching.

A movie based on this true story would make a good reminder of how courageous our policemen were, even back then.

4.Tra Zehnder

A film based on the true story of Sergeant Kanang anak Langkau came out in 2017.

Kanang was an Iban warrior and one of Malaysia’s most decorated war heroes who fought bravely during the communist insurgency.

So how about a film on Sarawak women figures? Dato Sri Tra Zehnder was a female pioneer in Sarawak politics.

She held the record for being the first lady member of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN), the first woman to head the Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak and she even represented the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) at the Cobbold Commission meeting.

Furthermore if it weren’t for her, we would not be celebrating Gawai Dayak on June 1 today.

Tra was the one who championed the idea to have Gawai Dayak recognised as an official state holiday.

5.Sarawakian SWAT

For most people, SWAT means Special Weapons and Tactics, a paramilitary unit of law-enforcement agency.

Here in Sarawak, the acronym carries a different meaning.

With Sarawak being home to the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), the largest riparian predator in the world, SWAT refers to Sarawak Forestry Corporation’s Swift Wildlife Action Team.

They are the unsung heroes solving human-crocodile conflict in the state.

This special unit was set up in 2013 and was put in charge of crocodile culling and removal all over Sarawak.

A movie inspired by Sarawakian SWAT could look like Black Water (2007), Rogue (2007) and Lake Placid (1999) only with more focus on the work of these brave SWAT officers.

Sarawak’s most famous saltwater crocodile, Bujang Senang or its descendants, can play the villains in the movie.

Batu Nabau Engkilili 3
How about a movie on crocodiles in Sarawak?

Do you have any ideas on what Sarawakian true stories that should be made into films? Let us know in the comment box.

5 Malaysian movies inspired by true stories worth watching

Movie makers immortalise people or events through their films.

Although their art cannot imitate life perfectly, some still manage to carry  its essence and convey the message they wanted to.

Here in Malaysia, the movie industry still has lots of room for improvement.

But there are a few local filmmakers daring enough to create movies inspired by true stories.
And here are the ones that are worth your time watching.

1.The Big Durian (2003)

This movie broke records by being the first and only Malaysian film to screen at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival.

The Big Durian’s director Amir Muhammad combined documentary and fiction to bring an event which occurred in October 1987 to the big screen.

On that day, a soldier named Adam Jaafar ran amok, shooting off an M16 rifle in the streets of Kuala Lumpur.

The shooting spree left one person dead when a bullet ricocheted and killed Che Soh Che Mahmud, while several others were wounded.

Apart from Sundance, The Big Durian was also screened at the Singapore International Film Festival, the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Vancouver International Film Festival.

2.Ola Bola (2016)
5 Malaysian movies inspired by true stories worth watching
Ola Bola.

Ola Bola was inspired by the true story of Malaysia’s football team scoring a place at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Russia.

The film was directed by Chiu Keng Guan and produced by Malaysian film powerhouse Astro Shaw.

Despite its commercial success, the film was disqualified from the 28th Malaysia Film Festival Best Film category because it contained less than 70% Malay language dialogue.

Following this controversy, all non-Malay categories were removed and made eligible to compete for Best Film.

3.Adiwiraku (2017)

When a group of schoolchildren in rural Peninsular Malaysia beat 20 elite schools in an English choral speaking competition, the story was destined to go viral on the internet.

For the students of SMK Pinang Tunggal in Baling, Kedah, participating in an English-speaking competition would have been impossible if it weren’t for their volunteer English teacher Cheryl Ann Fernando from Teach for Malaysia.

Against all odds and even to the team’s own surprise, they came out fifth place beating 20 other schools at the district level competition.

Inspired by this touching story, film director Eric Ong knew he had to make a movie of it.

Ong and his team’s work paid off when Adiwiraku bagged the Best Film Award at the 29th Malaysia Film Festival.

Watch the trailer here.

4.Dukun (2018)
dukun
Dukun’s film poster.

Originally slated for a 2007 release, all the red tape surrounding Dukun was finally cut and it premiered in 2018.

Until today, no official statements have been given on why the movie was postponed but most suspect it was due to the film being inspired by the real-life murder of Malaysian politician Mazlan Idris.

An ambitious politician, Mazlan’s murder in the 1990s gathered so much public attention not only because he was a public figure but because of the brutal (and supernatural) nature of the killing and the fact that a Malaysian female pop singer happened to be one of the prime suspects.

After leaving her not-so-successful music career, Mona Fandey (whose real name was Maznah Ismail) made a profession change to black magic, becoming a bomoh or a local shaman.

In July 1993, Mona Fandey together with her husband Mohamad Nor Affandi Abdul Rahman and assistant Juraimi Hassan were reportedly performing a cleansing ritual on Mazlan.

During the ritual, the trio asked Mazlan to lie down, close his eyes and wait for money to fall from the sky. Instead of money, an axe came down on Mazlan, chopping his head off.

He was reported missing on 2 July 1993, but by then his bank accounts were cleaned out of RM300,000. Mona was soon after spotted on a shopping spree and driving a Mercedes Benz.

Her high-spending life was cut short after Juraimi made a statement to the police disclosing the location of Mazlan’s remains, which were buried near Mona’s house in Pahang. He was found in 18 pieces.

The trio were found guilty of Mazlan’s murder and were executed on November 2, 2001 at Kajang Prison.

Watch the trailer here.

5.Bukit Kepong (1981)

We cannot talk about Malaysian movies inspired by true stories without mentioning Bukit Kepong (1981).

The movie was based on an armed encounter which took place on Feb 23, 1950 between the Federation of Malaya Police and the gunmen of Malayan Communist Party during the Malayan Emergency.

The movie was directed by legendary Malaysian actor Jins Shamsuddin.

Over the years, it has become one of the must-feature films on national television channels especially during August, Malaysia’s National Month.

A special mention…

There is one upcoming Malaysian movie inspired by true events which might be worth the hype.

Director Adrian Teh (King of Mahjong, Hungry Ghost Ritual) is working on an action film highlighting the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Naval Special Warfare Forces, otherwise known as Pasukan Khas Laut or Paskal.

Scheduled for a 2019 release,  Paskal is said to be a biopic of Lieutenant Commander Arman Anwar who, in 2011, led a Paskal team to rescue the crew of MV Bunga Laurel which was hijacked by Somalian pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

Filming locations include Kuala Lumpur, Lumut, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Semporna in Malaysia as well as Morocco.

What makes a good tourism board website?

Although some travellers prefer travel blogs and social media, tourism board websites still remain important resources for accurate information on travelling to a specific country.

Most tourism board websites have evolved over the years, utilising social media platforms such as Instagram to promote their countries and give more insights on travelling tips.

While others still have lots to improve on, (*cough cough* Malaysia…) here are some things which can make a tourism board website stand out:

1. Good travel stories

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Lake Tekapo in New Zealand. Credits: Pixabay.

Gone are the days where tourism board websites are only filled with press releases of official events.
For example, Tourism New Zealand’s media section has plenty of stories (and story ideas) covering a wide range of topics from activities and sports to nature and ecotourism as well as insights on Maori culture.
Go behind the scenes of famous eateries in New Zealand as the website also features interviews with chefs.

2. Full of tips and guides

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Yosemite National Park in California, US. Credits: Pixabay.

There are a lot of tips and guides out there but what we need is specificity.
Like in the blogosphere, some travel bloggers are specialised in luxury travel while others give backpacking and budgeting tips.
When it comes to a good tourism board website, what we need it to be is an all-rounder.
It needs to be full of tips and guides covering all travelling needs.
The Visit California website, for example, offers various tips from how to travel with kids to how to pack for a trip to California.

3. It is all about the details

A good tourism board website website will tell you things that you never thought you needed to know.
Is the place wheelchair friendly? Do they provide baby strollers?
Is it kid-friendly? Where else can you visit in the nearby areas?
Go To Bermuda for instance, even explains to its future visitors how it’s like to drive in Bermuda.

4. More about food please

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A night view of Stockholm. Credits: Pixabay.

To write about eating places is more than just listing down what to eat at a certain town.
Again, travellers need and want the details.
One very good example is Visit Stockholm website.
If it is a restaurant you are looking for, it narrows down to budget, mid-price or gourmet categories.
Looking for a cafe? Do you want it to be a cozy, trendy or a classic cafe?
How about a place to hit at night in town? The website details to a bar, a place with live music, or a club and even an LGBT bar.

5. Don’t forget about pop culture

gwanghwamun 2088592 1280Pop culture tourism is the reason why The Abbey Road in London is famous. We want to go where the famous people go, to eat what the famous people eat, to visit where the famous films or dramas were filmed.
South Korea capitalises the popularity of its Kpop and Korean dramas by promoting Kpop music festivals and filming locations.
Visit Korea website lists downs all the filming locations for famous dramas including Goblin, Legend of the Blue Sea, Love in Moonlight, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and Uncontrollably Fond.

Asian female ghosts who made it to the big screen

Some say anything men can do, women can do better, which is probably applicable in the case of haunting people as well.

Asia being the Earth’s largest continent, is rich with legends, folktales, myths and of course ghost stories.

And the main characters of these haunting stories are mainly women. (The idea of a woman with long unruly hair appearing out of nowhere in the middle of the night does seem scarier than a short-haired man with a potbelly.)

Asian female ghosts have always been the central plot in many famous movies including Japanese film The Ring (1998) and Thai flick Nang Nak (1999).

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Here are just some of the Asian female ghosts who are the subject matters of many horror movies:

1.Mae Nak Phra Khanong (Thailand)

Mae Nak Phra Khanong or Mae Nak is one of the most famous Thai female ghost. According to local legend, her story took place during the reign of King Rama IV (1851-1868).

Nak was a young woman married to Mak. When Mak was sent to war, Nak and their child died in childbirth. When Mak returns home, however, he finds her there with their child waiting for him.

Those who dare to warn Mak that he is living with a ghost are all killed.

Mae Nak appears in a long list of films from the 1950s including Nang Nak (1999), Ghost of Mae Nak (2005), Pee Mak (2013) and Make Me Shudder 2 (2014).

2.Krasue (Thailand)

Krasue is a young and beautiful female ghost with her internal organs dangling down from the neck (perhaps not so beautiful after all).

She has been making movie appearances since the 70s with film like Krasue Sao (1973) where she fights with a fellow krasue.

Showing her versatility, she also appears in erotic movies like Wan Krasue Sao (2013) and Krasue Rak Krasue Sawat (2014).

3.Nang Tani (Thailand)

Nang Tani is of the few Asian female ghosts who happens to be a tree-hugger.

She haunts wild banana trees and only becomes visible during the full moon.

Men who have wronged women, beware! They usually become her victims. But most of the time, she is reportedly benevolent.

Nang Tani’s earliest appearanceon the big screen is in Thai classic Nang Phrai Tani (1967).

4.Nang Ta-khian (Thailand)

Just like Nang Tani, Nang Ta-khian is another tree-hugger.

Her choice of wood is the Ta-khian tree or Hopea odorata.

She usually appears in reddish or brownish traditional Thai attire.

This spirit was featured in self-titled films, Ta-khian (2003) and Nang Ta-khian (2010).

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Nang Ta-khian is believed to always haunt Ta-Khian trees. Credit: Pixabay.
5.Pop (Thailand)

Here comes a more malevolent female ghost. Pop is a cannibalistic spirit in Thai folklore who has a distinct taste for human viscera, or their internal organs.

There are plenty of movie appearances of Pop. One movie worth mentioning is Krasue Fat Pop (1999) where she had a girl fight with Krasue.

6.Pontianak (Malaysia)

If you are in Malaysia and you see a female ghost with long hair, chances are high it is a pontianak.

Similar to the Indonesian kuntilanak, she is a spirit of a woman who died while pregnant.

The most famous pontianak film in Malaysia is none other than Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam (2004).

Directed and written by Shuhaimi Baba, the film was a major box office success in Malaysia.

7.Sundel Bolong (Indonesia)

Another ill-fated female ghost, Sundel Bolong is the soul of a woman who died when she was pregnant but against all odds gave birth in her grave.

Some said she died during childbirth and curiously the baby came out from her back.

Legend has it she does not handle rejection gracefully. If a man rejects her, she castrates him.

Sundel Bolong appeared in her self-titled 1981 adult horror film and Legenda Sundel Bolong (2007).

8.Wewe Gombel (Indonesia)

This female ghost embraces the body-positivity movement. Clearly in need of a nip-tuck, Wewe Gombel has long, hanging breasts and kidnaps children.

Wewe Gombel was once a barren wife who caught her husband cheating on her. When she killed her adulterous husband,  the villagers went after her.

She eventually committed suicide but her spirit lingers on.

Wewe Gombel kidnaps mistreated or neglected children and takes care of them.

In movies, she has appeared in Wewe Gombel (1988) and Legenda Wewe Gombel (2012).

9.Kuchisake-onna (Japan)

After being mutilated by her husband for an alleged affair with a samurai, Kuchisake-onna (which means ‘slit-mouth woman’) like many Asian female ghosts, returns as a vengeful spirit.

She is known to give trick questions to her victims. According to modern legend, if she asks a potential victim, “Am I pretty?” and the answer is “no”, she kills them with a pair of scissors.

If the potential victim answers “Yes”, she takes off her mask revealing her husband’s handiwork and then asks again, “How about now?”

A no will lead you to be cut in half, a yes will leave you with a slit mouth like hers. It seems like a no-win situation, but local lore suggests that there is a method to elude her which is asking her back whether you are pretty, or answering ‘so-so’ which will make her stop and think, thus giving you time to escape.

In Japan, she has appeared in movies such as Slit Mouth Woman in LA (2014) and even in manga and anime.

10.Manananggal (Philippines)

Manananggal is a hideous, blood-sucking female vampire or monster which can split from her lower torso before flying into the night looking for victim.

Her choice of victims are sleeping, pregnant women (or simply those who are asleep… comforting thought, isn’t it?).

She spearheaded the Filipino horror movie industry with her silent movie aptly named Manananggal (1927).

Besides that, she also appears in Shake, Rattle & Roll (1984), Impaktita (1989) and Manananggal in Manila (1997).

Asian horror movies based on real haunted places

Art imitates life, even in Asian horror movies, which shows how movie-makers draw their inspirations from their surroundings when making a film. And what more inspiration for a horror movie other than an actual haunted place?

Here are some Asian horror movies inspired by places with supernatural and unexplained histories:

1.Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)

The Movie: The crew of a horror web series go to an abandoned asylum for a live broadcast. In true horror flick fashion, the whole trip becomes their worst nightmare.

Watch the trailer here.

The Haunted Place: This South Korean movie is based on one of the freakiest places on the planet according to CNN.

Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital in Gwangju was once a fully operational medical centre when suddenly, according to local legend, patients started dying mysteriously.

Now, it is an abandoned building filled with urban legends and ghost stories.

Urban legends vary, some claim there was a mad doctor who tormented patients and one of the more famous versions is that the owner himself was insane. He was said to be keeping his patients incarcerated until he fled to the US in 1996.

The hospital was forced to close seemingly in hurry because medical records, patients’ private possessions were still there.

A less exciting, yet equally grisly explanation for the condition of Gonjiam Psychiatric hospital is that it closed due to unsanitary living conditions along with a malfunctioning sewage disposal system and that its owner just fled the country instead.

2. Lawang Sewu: Dendam Kuntilanak (2007)

The Movie: A group of high school students from Jakarta are trapped in Lawang Sewu in Semarang, Indonesia. After one of them urinates in the complex but does not reappear, the rest come to look for her. One of them also happens to be menstruating when she enters the complex, which incurs the additional wrath of the ghosts and spirits within Lawang Sewu.

To their horror, they are haunted by several ghosts and angry spirits which include that of a Dutch woman, a man who had a ball and chain wrapped around his leg, and of course a Kuntilanak (an Indonesian version of a vampire).

Watch the trailer here.

The Haunted Place: According to urban legend, a Dutch woman is believed to have committed suicide in Lawang Sewu. On top of that, when the Japanese invaded in the 1940s during World War II, they used part of the building as a prison where apparently some executions took place. Five employees working there and Indonesian fighters also died when Dutch forces attempted to retake Semarang by sneaking back into the city through the building’s tunnel systems.

So if you’re the superstitious type, there’s a lot of potentially unsettled spirits in this building.

Despite its haunted reputation, Lawang Sewu is actually an intricate, colonial era building. Lawang Sewu itself means ‘thousand doors’ in Javanese which derived from the building’s numerous doors and about 600 large windows.

Construction started in 1904 and was used by the first Dutch East Indies railway company Nederlandsch-Indische Maatshappij in the Dutch East Indies in 1907.

Although renovations over the years have not returned the building to its full glory, the Semarang city government is still working on shedding Lawang Sewu’s supernatural reputation by repurposing it into an active social space.

3. Highland Tower (2013)

The Movie: Highland Tower (2013) is a Malay-language film directed by Pierre Andre. It follows a TV host named Shima working on a documentary based on the 1993 Highland Towers collapse.

Watch the trailer here.

The Haunted Place: The Highland Towers were three similar 13-storey apartment buildings in Ulu Klang, in Selangor, Malaysia.

Sadly on Dec 11, 1993, Block 1 of the Highland Towers collapsed resulting in the deaths of 48 people. The remaining two blocks were evacuated due to safety reasons.

This led to the two remaining buildings becoming a hideout for criminals and drug addicts.

4.Villa Nabila (2015)

The Movie: The film starts with a disappearance of a teenager at an abandoned house called Villa Nabila in Johor.

It is presented in documentary style in which a few people who claim to experience the supernatural were interviewed.

Watch the trailer here.

The Haunted place: Villa Nabila is an abandoned house in Johor Bahru, Malaysia overlooking the Straits of Johor.

According to local legend, there was once a wealthy Caucasian family that lived there. Tragically, somebody murdered the whole family.

Another tale shares a story of wealthy parents who died leaving a daughter named Nabila.

Allegedly, the maid killed Nabila and cemented her body in one of the walls of the house.

5.Karak (2011)

The Movie: Asian horror movies love to revolve around horrified students just like those in Karak (2011).

This film tells the story of four students heading back to their college in Kuantan after a night out in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

They encounter a massive traffic jam on the Karak highway and decide to use an alternative route.

And that is when the horror begins.

Watch the trailer here.

The Haunted Place: Karak Highway was built in 1970 and was opened to the public in 1977. One of the famous tragedies that took place there was a road accident in 1990 which saw 17 people killed.

The death toll includes 11 Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) police personnel during a collision involving more than 10 vehicles.

This 60km highway also carries a number of other ghost stories such as a yellow Volkswagen which disrupts road users and a wandering school boy looking for his mother.

6.Haunted Changi (2010)

The Movie: Asian horror movies, like their western counterparts, like to explore the terrifying experience of fimmakers or TV crew with behind-the-scenes or found footage concepts.

This is what you’ll find with Singaporean movie Haunted Changi (2010) which follows a group of local filmmakers investigating Old Changi Hospital.

Watch the trailer here.

The Haunted Place: The British government built this hospital in 1935. It was used as a military hospital during Japanese occupation in World War II.

Unsurprisingly, some said the souls of Japanese occupation victims roam this site.

Moreover, there have been reported sightings of homeless ghosts, patients who died in the hospital and a nurse carrying a baby.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Where art thou Soul Stone?

If you are following the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) closely, then you know that the final Infinity Stone, the Soul Stone has yet to show up.

Fans are racking their brains trying to figure out where – or when – the Soul Stone might appear. Even the directors of Avengers: Infinity War, Anthony and Joe Russo are trolling fans with this tweet:

And of course, the brothers are not answering their own question.

Nonetheless, here is a list of theories fans have come up with so far on the Soul Stone’s location:

It may not be a stone at all, but a planet?

This sixth and final Infinity stone gives users power to control souls.

On top of that, it is able to send them to another dimension called ‘Soul World’. So is the orange planet the Soul World?

Screen Rant theorised that the orange planet is the Soul Stone, or at least a manifestation of it as the first trailer of Avengers: Infinity War starts with a shot of an orange planet while the Soul Stone in Guardians of the Galaxy to be orange.

However, some said this theory has been debunked. The orange planet is actually Titan, Thanos’ home. But what if the stone had been with Thanos all this time?

The Soul Stone is in Wakanda?

Both trailers show an epic battle happening in an African country, most probably in Wakanda. Could the final Infinity Stone be kept at the home of Black Panther?

Some fans believed vibranium is not the only secret Wakanda is keeping, but also the Soul Stone’s location.

It is with Iron-Man

The theory of Tony Stark having the Soul Stone came after the promo art of Avengers: Infinity War was published.

The art shows where each of Infinity Stones first debuted in MCU.

For example, the Space Stone (Tesseract) was in Captain America: The First Avengers while the Power Stone was in Guardians of the Galaxy.

The Reality Stone (Aether) was in Thor: The Dark World; Vision has the Mind Stone in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Doctor Strange was holding the Time Stone aka the Eye of Agamotto without realising it.

And there is an illustration of the Soul Stone with Iron-Man. Does this mean it has been with Tony all this while?

Another reason to back up this theory is, in Iron Man 3, Tony tosses the arc reactor in his chest into the ocean but in Avengers: Infinity War, he has a new arc reactor.

Thus, fans are claiming the new arc reactor might be the Soul Stone.

Infinity Stone Promo Art. from r/marvelstudios


It lies within Heimdall

This is seems a bit far-stretched but some fans are speculating the Soul Stone is with Heimdall. This explains why he can see ‘every soul’ across the Nine Realms.

All we fans can do for now, other than theorising, is to wait for Avengers: Infinity War to premiere on April 2018.

Watch the trailer here.