Sabtu, 2 November 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro


SE Asia's top textile market seeks to clean up its act

Posted:

JAKARTA, Nov 03, 2013 (AFP) - After years of being overrun by a racketeering mafia, drug addicts and prostitutes, Southeast Asia's biggest textile market is cleaning up its act in an effort to win back droves of shoppers.

Spread across several blocks in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, Tanah Abang market is a colourful whirl of activity that has attracted shoppers from across the region for centuries.

While glittering skyscrapers have shot up around the city centre trading hub, the market itself, which was founded in 1735 by a Dutch businessman, is a series of modest buildings in an area of traditional, red-tiled houses.

Traders looking for wholesale bargains and shoppers looking for smaller items haggle at myriad stalls on several floors in the market buildings, looking for everything from raw cloth to branded goods.

"There is so much variety under one roof and 20 to 30 percent cheaper than in Kuala Lumpur. And fashionable too," said Malaysian shopper Mariam Ahmad, who makes an annual trip to the market to buy clothing ahead of the Muslim Eid holiday.

But the market's increasingly seedy atmosphere and traffic gridlock in the area caused by illegal street stalls were putting shoppers off. Vendors estimated customer numbers had fallen around 10 percent in recent years.

Bag seller Desmawita, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said that crime had been "getting out of hand".

"Two prostitutes pounced on one of my customers from Brunei while he was praying and he had to give them money before they let him go. He bought 29,000 bags from me but cancelled a five-year business deal."

Jeha, who sells traditional patterned "batik" shirts and goes by one name, added: "Even for us locals, Tanah Abang was scary.

"It was normal to see hundreds of needles used by drug addicts strewn along the back alleys. Gangsters would demand money and beat us up if we refused."

Popular Jakarta governor Joko Widodo, who took power around a year ago, decided to tackle the issue.
In August, he pushed through a plan to relocate around 1,000 vendors who had been illegally hawking goods on the streets and were blamed for many of the market's problems.

They were moved to a refurbished building in the area, joining another 15,000 vendors working legally inside the market's original blocks.

The number of public order officers, who help police in keeping the peace but come under the authority of the local government, has also been dramatically increased.

With the vendors off the streets, the mafia-like gangs that demanded cash payments to rent out illegal lots have largely gone.

And the increased security has succeeded in frightening off many of the sex workers and drug addicts, vendors say.

"A Philippine customer was shocked when she came yesterday to see how orderly everything was. She said she would definitely return - that's good news for me," headscarf seller Rinaldi said.

However the change has not been without problems. Some vendors say that business has been hurt by the move from the street, where they could catch casual shoppers as they walked past.

Rahmat Hidayat, who sells dresses, said he had not made a single sale since moving indoors but previously he could make $50 to $80 a day.

"I make money from impulse buyers because I'm not selling household staples like rice. Nobody will climb three flights of stairs just to come to my shop," he said.

And while it is striving to change without losing its authenticity, some complain that the clean-up has wiped away the market's old character.

Gone are the noisy, streetside market stalls that used to spill across the main roads and fill up narrow alleyways.

"Please bring back the old Tanah Abang," said headscarf seller Andalusia, complaining there were fewer customers since the market had been spruced up.

New rant against estate agents

Posted:

AFTER years of complaining about the unprofessional behaviour by real estate agents, Singaporeans now have a new rant against them: junk mail.

Unwanted fliers or advertisements with misleading information have overtaken poor service as the top complaint about realtors, according to the industry watchdog's latest annual report.

The Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) said 36%, or 319, of the complaints it received in the 12 months up to March this year were about advertisements.

This is a sharp rise, compared with the 16% in the previous 18 months.

The offending ads had misleading information, left out pertinent facts or were posted without the prior consent of home owners.

For example, some fliers marketed industrial properties for other uses, which is not allowed.

Salespersons and agents also cannot advertise or offer any gifts, including cash and vouchers, to lure customers.

The CEA issued two letters in June and August last year specifically to remind its members not to contravene both guidelines.

As for unprofessional behaviour, the complaints about agents giving wrong advice, not being punctual or not following proper procedures slipped from 44% to 29% of all the complaints received, or from 729 to 255.

Another 16% of complaints were of agents using threatening words, harassing people or misrepresenting facts. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

China to silence Dalai Lama on media and Internet

Posted:

BEIJING: China's ruling Communist Party aims to silence the voice of the Dalai Lama in his Tibetan homeland by tightening controls on media and the Internet, a top official said.

The party's top-ranking official in the Tibet region Chen Quanguo vowed to "ensure that the voices of hostile forces and the Dalai group are not seen or heard", in an editorial published in a party journal called Qiushi.

Officials would "make sure that the voice of the party is heard and seen everywhere in this vast 120 million sq km region", Chen wrote in the editorial.

China has worked for decades to control the spread of information in Tibet, but some Tibetans remain able to access non-official sources of information including from exiles abroad by using radio, television and the Internet.

But the party will attempt to stamp out access to such sources by creating party cells in some websites, confiscating satellite dishes and registering telephone and Internet users by name, among a host of other measures mentioned in the the article.

China calls Tibetan exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and accuses him of masterminding violent efforts to seek independence for Tibet.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, says he advocates greater autonomy for Tibetans rather than independence.

Chen referred to Tibet as "a front line of the struggle against separatism" and vowed to "strengthen the role of party committees at every level, as the sole power", in the editorial.

Tensions between Tibetans and the Chinese government continue run high, with more than 120 members of the minority setting themselves on fire in protest in recent years, leading to a security crackdown.

Chinese police opened fire on Tibetans marking the Dalai Lama's 78th birthday in July, shooting at least one monk in the head and seriously wounding several other people, overseas rights groups said. — AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz


Moments of terror

Posted:

We asked colleagues at Star2 to write about their favourite horror films and memorable horror movie moments. What did we get? Tales of ah-choos, ah-ha-ha-has and ... hot dogs?

A paranormal plan backfires

When Paranormal Activity first came out, I thought it would be fun to get a DVD copy, switch off all the lights and watch it with my boyfriend Stewart. Since he doesn't scare easily, I told him that those were REAL footage we were watching. 

The film must've been super convincing because he believed me. And then something happened during the scene where Katie was dragged out by an unseen entity – one of our bedroom doors slammed shut! By then, I was frantic, and insisted that he switch on all the lights!

Look out for that door! A scene from Paranormal Activity.

Look out for that door! A scene from Paranormal Activity.

Try as we might, we couldn't determine what might have caused the slamming of the door. At the end of the day, it was me, not Stewart, who spent the next few days or so suffering from sleepless nights. — Louisa "Dancing Zombie Queen" Lim

Split pea sneeze

Many years back, the favourite late night show for my sister and I was The Exorcist. We grew up watching a lot (and I mean a lot) of horror movies, so it wasn't anything out of the ordinary for us to watch reruns of The Exorcist almost every week.

While I was quite used to the disturbing physical transformation that Linda Blair goes through for her role as Regan, there was just this one time, during a scary scene, my sister sneezed loudly into my ear. You can bet I had the shock of my life! 

Talk about getting up on the wrong side of the bed... a scene from The Exorcist (1973).

Talk about getting up on the wrong side of the bed... a scene from The Exorcist (1973).

That incident has since been ingrained in my mind. So now, every loud sneeze I hear would immediately remind me of Regan's demonic eyes as well as "split pea soup"! — "Sadako" Lee Mei Li

Listening is just as bad

My scariest horror movie experience was listening to The Exorcist. It was projected on the side of one of the buildings at my boarding school on open-air movie night. The only one too afraid to watch but wanting the others close by, I stayed in my second-floor classroom and heard every blood-curdling sound even with my fingers jammed into my ears. I sat scrunched up in the same position the entire 122 minutes. — "The Jinx" Jane F. Ragavan

Cultish evil

Undoubtedly, The Evil Dead, the 1981 film directed by Sam Raimi, is very schlocky, even by 1980s standards. But that's what makes the film so great.

The low-budget quality gives The Evil Dead a whole level of fun – there's snappy dialogue, amateur acting and inexpensive (but ingenious) effects to balance out the number of disturbing scenes, which have all made the film a cult classic. 

It's probably not a good idea to hide in a hole in the ground when the Evil Dead come for you. Just sayin'.

(Like all classics, there have been many carbon copies of Raimi's debut feature but the best one so far is Cabin In The Woods by Joss Whedon.)

It tells the story of five friends travelling to a cabin in the woods for a getaway. There, they discover a book, which they read outloud, and voila! they release flesh-possessing demons.

Yeah, this basically means the good times are over for the gang, but has just begun for the audience. — Mumtaj "Mumm-Ra" Begum

Three, four, better lock your door

It's never easy for me to pick a "favourite" something, so I'll talk about three horror movies that I like instead – A Nightmare On Elm Street, Candyman and Clive Barker's Hellraiser.

Elm Street was a wonderfully scary film that left me sleepless for days (because, you know, if you sleep then you'll dream and it is in dreams/nightmares that Freddy Krueger will come for you with his sharp, pointy fingers).

Candyman made me cover the mirror in my bedroom because I feared that the murderous Candyman might suddenly "walk" out of it and terrorise my life.

Finally, Hellraiser – Pinhead , king of the Cenobites. 'Nuff said. — Melody "HelL." Goh

Horror hotdog

I don't watch horror films. Nay, I hate watching horror films. I don't like the feeling of dread that creeps up on me as you watch them, knowing that at anytime, something is going to JUMP OUT AND SCARE YOU.

I also don't like being scared, period. It's not like I've never watched a single horror movie before, I just would prefer NOT to watch them. Yeah yeah, I'm a 'fraidy cat, so sue me.

No hotdogs needed for THIS scene. Ripley faces off with the Alien queen in James Cameron's Aliens.

No hotdogs needed for THIS scene. Ripley faces off with the Alien queen in James Cameron's Aliens.

Anyway, my earliest memory of watching a movie that really scared me was Aliens, which I watched in the cinema with my mum and sister. 

Before the show, my mum bought us a hot dog each to eat in the cinema, but mine remained uneaten until the end of the show because I was too busy using it to cover my eyes to actually eat it ... — Michael "Psycho Potato Peeler Killer" Cheang

Fearful Fridays

During my secondary school years, Friday was absolutely the best day of the week as it was reserved for movies. Right after school, my best buds and I would rush to the closest cinema. Our favourites were horror flicks. 

Never mind that some of them scared us out of our wits, screaming with your friends, I say, is the best part of any movie experience. Hence, if I were to name my all-time favourite horror movies, they mostly be from the 1980s. Co-incidentally, my top three picks are all from 1987.

Prince Of Darkness by horror maestro John Carpenter was critically-panned. Watching the trailer online now, the special effects are cheesy and the acting is laughable. But boy, oh boy, did I love it then. I even watched it twice.

You might want to ease up on those tanning bed sessions, my dear. From John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness.

It's about a priest (Donald Pleasence) who invites a group of academics and students to join him in the basement (nothing ever goes right in the basement) of an abandoned Los Angeles church. He requests their assistance in investigating a cylinder containing a swirling green liquid, which turns out to be a demonic force.

I also like The Lost Boys which made vampires sexy way before Twilight, and Evil Dead II. The latter saw a remake recently, but while it was more gory, it lacked the humour and scare factor of the original series. I like it when the "Boo!"s are accompanied by "Ah-ha-ha-ha"s. — William "Krazy Killer" Kee

Fearing for a friend

My most memorable horror movie experience was an unintentionally funny one a few years ago. My then boyfriend (now husband!) and I had gone to the cinema to watch Visits: Hungry Ghost Anthology. This was a local production and featured four short stories centred around the "Chinese Halloween" or hungry ghost festival.

Actress Tay Chin Fie in a scene from the local supernatural flick Visits: Hungry Ghost Anthology

Actress Tay Chin Fie in a scene from the local supernatural flick Visits: Hungry Ghost Anthology.

Although the movie had not received good reviews from the critics, we had gone to watch it because a friend was acting in it. Well, needless to say, we did not find the movie that scary. 

Instead, when our friend emerged in a scene (his face all powdered up to look pale, since he was supposed to be dead), it was so unexpected to see him in that state that we burst out laughing, and rather loudly too.

And though it was dark in the cinema hall, we could feel all the eyes shifting from the big screen to glare at us! — Ming "Spooky Shapeshifter" Teoh

The witching hour

Every now and then a horror movie comes along to leave you, well, horrified ... for days. For me it was after watching The Exorcism Of Emily Rose. Honestly, any movie that has got anything to do with the bible truly freaks me out. Who are we to say that the devil does not exist!

In the movie, it was explained that the "witching hour", which is 3am, marks an hour where evil spirits use to mock the Holy Trinity. In the movie, Emily wakes up at that said time. 

What is it with exorcisms and people levitating in funny positions? A scene from The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

What is it with exorcisms and people levitating in funny positions? A scene from The Exorcism Of Emily Rose.

I, too, started to wake up at that witching hour after the movie! I kid you not, call it whatever you want, a coincidence or a cry for attention.

Despite that strange occurrence, I've actually seen The Exorcism Of Emily Rose four times. It was a brilliantly crafted movie and was played extremely well by Jennifer Carpenter as Emily. — Gayathri "Scarythri" Nair

Howling good fun

Sure, there are scarier horror movies than An American Werewolf In London. And there are funnier comedies. But John Landis's 1981 horror-comedy has got to be paws-down one of the slickest, most entertaining "total packages" in the genre.

From the spooky scene where David Kessler (David Naughton) and his pal Jack (Griffin Dunne) are stalked on the moors to its startling CGI-free Oscar-winning man-to-werewolf transformation, from David-as-werewolf's initial night of slaughter to the side-splitting detour into an adult film theatre and the climactic mayhem in Piccadilly Circus ... this one really has it all.

David Naughton in An American Werewolf In London's groundbreaking transformation scene.

David Naughton in An American Werewolf In London's groundbreaking transformation scene.

Watching this was actually the most fun I had being (mildly) scared – hey, the nightmare sequences were quite unsettling at the time – because I could LOL so often at the twisted humour and the deadpan way the characters delivered lines like "I am a victim of your carnivorous lunar activities" or "I didn't mean to call you a meatloaf, Jack!"

Best viewed in its entirety (uncensored lah!) for the full impact of Rick Baker's pioneering makeup effects, the transformation as well as the bits where the werewolf victims come back as the living dead, in ever-yuckier states of decomposition. Oh, and so we can also (ahem) appreciate Jenny Agutter's performance and the funny adult flick See You Next Wednesday playing while David is confronted by his undead victims. Owooo-oo! — Davin "Head Caved In" Arul 

Check out our playlist of 'Top horror movie themes':

Steve McQueen heads to HBO

Posted:

The filmmaker is set to direct his first TV project for the company.

The British director behind 12 Years A Slave is developing a new drama series for HBO.

After making a name for himself as a video artist and feature film director, first achieving international critical acclaim with Hunger in 2008, Steve McQueen is now branching out into television. For HBO, the director is developing a drama series centred on an African American who covers up his background to better fit in on the New York social scene.

According to Deadline.com, the still untitled series will tie in themes from the John Guare play Six Degrees Of Separation and from Shame, McQueen's critically acclaimed film on one man's struggle to hide a sex addiction.

McQueen will author the screenplay for the series in tandem with Matthew Michael Carnahan (State Of Play, World War Z). HBO will then decide whether to move ahead with the project, for which producers are already considering their casting options.

Currently in theaters in North America, McQueen's third feature film 12 Years A Slave is expected to garner multiple Academy Awards. This historical drama, produced by Brad Pitt and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, tells the true story of a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery for over a decade. — AFP Relaxnews

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


'How I Met Your Mother' spin-off in the works

Posted:

The new show will be developed by the original sitcom's creators.

The world of popular sitcom How I Met Your Mother will likely live on beyond its last season through a spin-off, which is currently being developed under the working title How I Met Your Father.

According to Deadline.com, CBS is preparing a spin-off to appeal to the numerous fans of How I Met Your Mother, which will wrap up in May 2014 after nine seasons. The creators of the original show, Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, are taking part in the development of the spin-off.

How I Met Your Father will aim to tell a similar story to its sister series, which fans affectionately call HIMYM, but from a feminine perspective. As suggested by the name, the show will focus on a mother telling her children the story of their parents' first encounter.

The cast of How I Met Your Mother will give way to a new group of characters, who may be introduced in the last episode of the current show. References to the original will run throughout the spin-off, and MacLaren's, the pub where Ted, Barney, Lily, Marshall and Robin like to meet, will still be a frequent setting for the new characters.

While the new series is being developed, US audiences can tune in for the very last season of HIMYM, which premiered in September on CBS.

Josh Radnor narrates the show in the role of Ted Mosby, telling his two children how he met their mother. The latter character finally made an appearance on the show in its final season, played by Cristin Milioti. — AFP Relaxnews

How I Met Your Mother could become How I Met Your Father," a new spin-off with a different cast of characters.

Shining festive fare on TV

Posted:

There's loads of fantastic TV programmes for everyone to watch during the Deepavali holidays.

THIS Deepavali brings you a host of wonderful programmes to brighten your viewing experience even more during the Festival of Lights. 

From local productions to variety shows, Kollywood spectaculars to Bollywood extravaganzas, there's a whole lot to spice up your holiday weekend.

Deepavali Eve

> Raavan (TV3, 10pm): Beera is considered a bandit by the police, but is regarded as a local hero by ... er, the locals. He kidnaps Ragini, the wife of police superintendent Dev, and decides to take her life to avenge the death of his sister Jamuni. Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Govinda.

> Pollathavan (TV2, 11pm): Thanks, TV2, for not providing a synopsis. This could be the 1980 film in which Rajinikanth plays a man who kills a would-be rapist and then keeps his daughter's nanny, who was both the intended victim and a witness, captive in his home. Or the 2007 film about ne'er-do-well Prabhu who tries to earn a decent living only to run afoul of some smugglers and gets into a series of violent confrontations with the crooks. Both sound interesting. The title means "Ruthless Man".

> Cikgu Kamala (TV3, 1.30pm): Kamala is a happy and cheerful teacher at a school on the outskirts of the city. Her outgoing, cheerful attitude makes her students and the local folk think she is weird, and her presence there creates conflict because of her modern lifestyle. Cast: Puspa Narayanan, Fathil Dani, Intan Ladyana and Niezam Zaidi.

> Shuddh Desi Romance (Sony Max, HyppTV Ch 308, 9pm): Three young people in today's changing India try to figure out what love, attraction and commitment mean to each of them. When their lives intersect, their beliefs are challenged and their loves, tested. Shushant Singh Rajput, Parineeti Chopra and Vaani Kapoor star.

Soothu KavvumAstro Vellithirai (Astro Vellithirai Ch202, 12am)

Soothu Kavvum (Astro Ch 202, 12am)

> Barfi (UTV Movies, HyppTV Ch 307, 8pm): This movie dominated India's 58th Filmfare Awards this year, bagging seven trophies, including Best Film. Ranbir Kapoor plays Barfi, a hearing- and speech-impaired young man who is in love with Shruti (Priyanka Chopra), but parental pressure keeps them apart. Their paths cross again years later; this time Barfi is in love with an autistic girl, Jhilmil (Ileana D'Cruz), who has gone missing. And Barfi himself is on the run from the law.

> Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga (Vellithirai, Astro Ch 202, 9pm): Kesavan and Murugan are content to live out of their fathers' pockets, but still dream of making it big. Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Vimal, Soori, Regina Cassandra, Bindu Madhavi and Delhi Ganesh.

> Therintha Kovil Theriyatha Puranam: Utharakosamangai (Astro Vinmeen HD, Ch 231, 8.30pm): This special Deepavali edition of the show features Utharakosamangai, a sacred place situated in a coastal area. The temple is noted for the three specialities – Murthy (the deity), Thalam (holiness of the place) and Theertham (the holy water attributed to the temple). There is also a 3,000-year-old Jujuba tree (Ilandhai maram) here. The show is hosted by Reneetha.

> Chinnanne Periyanne (live) (Astro Vaanavil, Ch 201, 11.30pm): This special festive episode will feature the famous DJ brothers Raam & Anantha who will interview Narakasuran. Catch this segment to find out what they actually discussed.

Deepavali Day

> Estet (TV1, 9pm): This is an entertaining local production with a colourful cast. The film is directed by Mamat Khalid, who used the football theme to promote a "feel good" spirit among Malaysians of all backgrounds. The story revolves around two estate football teams, Cinta Manis and Red Cobra, led by workers who both admire the same estate belle. Starring Farid Kamil, Shoffi Jikan, Jasmin Michael, Shahshi Tharan, Siti Nurfazurina, K.S Maniam, Gandii Nathen, Mislina Mustaffa, Mohan and Jayasree, with the special participation of David Arumugam and Rosyam Noor.

Estet (TV1, 9pm)

Estet (TV1, 9pm)

> KO (TV2, 1pm): A press photographer helps a team of youths win the election by mocking corrupt politicians in his newspaper, but later the plot moves quite differently. 

Watch out for special appearances by famous actor Suriya and other big names in the business. Starring Jiiva, Karthika Nair and Piaa Bajpai.

> Ra One (TV2, 10.30pm): And what's Deepavali without a movie (or two) starring Shah Rukh Khan? A video game developer's world spirals out of control when his shape-shifting indestructible virtual creation becomes all too real. 

Also starring Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor.

> Kuruvi (TV2, 1.30am): Vetrivel is a nice guy working for a courier firm. Little does he know that the couriers are being used by a gang of smugglers as secure transportation for illegal substances like narcotics. Neither Vetrivel nor his colleagues are aware of this and fate lands him in jail when he is caught transporting one such parcel full of contraband. How can he clear himself? 

Starring Vijay, Trisha Krishnan and Suman.

> Johnny Bravo Goes To Bollywood (TV3, 11.30am): The oddly-shaped bumbling jock Johnny Bravo jets off to Bollywood with his perfect hair to knock superstar Jiggy from his pedestal and become the lead in Indian blockbusters Avasitar 2 and Bindiana Jaihones

But when a mean and nasty cult of assassins kidnaps Mama Bravo and Johnny's tween agents, Pinky and Shinky, Johnny must team up with his rival to save them all.

Panggung Sabtu: Singam (TV3, 2pm)

Soothu Kavvum (Astro Ch 202, 12am)

> Singam (TV3, 2pm): One of the biggest Tamil blockbusters starring superstar Suriya comes to our local screens. "Singam" means "lion", so you can expect to hear our hero roar ... well, by his deeds at least. Sub-Inspector Durai Singam lives a fairly comfortable lifestyle along with his family. He is well known throughout the village and is respected by everyone. 

One day, the High Court directs an influential gangster, Mayil Vaaganam, to report to Durai on conditional bail. Instead, he sends one of his cohorts to do the formalities, much to Durai's anger. He demands that Mayil appear before him to sign the bail documents himself. 

The humiliated villain vows to take revenge on the cop but is unable to do so because the whole village is behind Durai. Mayil devises a plan to get Durai transferred out of the village so that the policeman and his family will then be easy pickings. Co-starring Anushka Shetty, Vivek, Prakash Raj and Manorama.

(Note: Singam 2 will be aired on Astro's Vinmeen HD, Ch 231, at 3pm)

> Himmatwala (UTV Movies, HyppTV Ch 307, 8pm): An honest temple priest takes on more than he can handle when he witnesses a murder and gives evidence in court against a powerful landlord in his village. The landlord bribes his way to freedom and engineers a ploy to ruin the priest's reputation and his standing in the village. 

With his reputation tarnished, the priest commits suicide,and leaves his wife and young children to fend for themselves against the evil landlord. 

The son flees the village and travels to Mumbai to start afresh, but returns years later to avenge his family's suffering. Starring Ajay Devgn, Tamannaah Bhatia and Mahesh Manjrekar.

(Note: This movie is also airing on Zee Variasi, Astro Ch 108, at 9pm tonight.)

> Shootout At Wadala (Sony Max, HyppTV Ch 308, 6pm): This movie is based on a true story. It dramatises a 1982 shootout involving the Mumbai police and a notorious gangster. It involves a young man who follows in his gangster brother's footsteps, with deadly consequences. Starring John Abraham, Kangana Ranaut and Anil Kapoor.

> Soothu Kavvum (Astro Vellithirai, Ch 202, midnight): This 2013 black comedy, directed by debutant Nalan Kumarasamy of Naalaya Iyakunar fame, stars Vijay Sethupathi and Sanchita Shetty. Three friends meet a kidnapper and decide to join his gang ... and that's only the start of this movie, which received highly positive reviews.

> I Am With You Muruga (Astro Vaanavil, Ch 201, 11.30am): This is an 80-minute solo Bharatha Natyam recital conceived, choreographed and performed by international soloist Mavin Khoo, with live vocals by the world-renowned OS Arun.

> Maryan (Astro Vinmeen HD, Ch 231, 10pm): An Astro Premiere, this is one of the most highly anticipated sagas of the year, based on a real-life incident. National Award winner Dhanush, acclaimed director Bharat Bala and Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman collaborate on this tale of a fisherman who goes to work in Sudan only to be captured by terrorists. 

Co-starring Parvathi Menon, Salim Kumar and Appukutty.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Egypt to look beyond U.S. for arms - foreign minister

Posted:

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said on Saturday that Egypt would look beyond the United States to meet its security needs and warned Washington that it could no longer ignore popular demands in a changed Arab world.

Speaking ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Fahmy said the United States must take a long-term view of its relations with Egypt and understand that in the wake of the Arab Spring, "it would have to deal now with the Arab peoples, not only with Arab governments".

Emphasising the "turbulent" state of Washington's ties with its long-time Arab ally after U.S. military aid curbs in response to the army's overthrow in July of President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, Fahmy said Egypt would have to develop "multiple choices, multiple options" to chart its way forward - including military relationships.

Fahmy, in a rare interview, also sent this message to the United States: "If you're going to have interests in the Middle East, you need to have either good relations with the country that is the focus of the Middle East, or at the very least well-managed relations".

"This is going to be a frank, honest dialogue between friends," he told Reuters about his meeting with Kerry on Sunday.

"We will work in that constructive fashion to develop the relationship but there is no question in our mind that we will fulfil our national security needs as they are required from whatever source we need".

The minister, a broadly pro-American figure in the interim military-backed government, made his first significant foreign trip to Russia in September rather than the United States, which has suspended key parts of its aid to the Egyptian army, pending progress on democracy.

The military receives an annual $1.3 billion (816.1 million pounds) in arms and cash from the United States since Egypt signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1979.

'COLD WAR MENTALITY'

The message Cairo will convey to Kerry is that "the U.S.-Egypt relationship is very important, but that the relationship is much deeper than aid or no aid, and it has to be looked at as a strategic relationship rather than a tactical one".

Fahmy, a former ambassador to Washington and long a top strategist in Egypt's Foreign Ministry, stressed that this was not a pivot back to Moscow, Cairo's Soviet-era ally before then-President Anwar Sadat pulled Egypt into the Western camp and made peace with Israel.

"That's Cold War mentality. I'm not trying to bring in Russia vis-a-vis America. I'm trying to bring in 10, 20, 30 new partners for Egypt", he said.

"The Egyptian government is committed to diversifying its relationship, not at the expense of our friends but over and above ... . This is not a position against an American policy, it's a position that is consistent with Egypt's interests."

He said Egypt, the No. 2 recipient of U.S. military aid and where a quarter of the Middle East population lives, was disturbed by the disruption of American aid, particularly the withholding of military deliveries, which requires "sustainability, continuity and a long-term consistency."

Last month's decision by Washington to freeze some military aid and $260 million in cash aid, following a crackdown on the Brotherhood, has angered the Egyptian authorities and their Arab allies.

The military said it responded to huge mass protests against Mursi's rule when it toppled him. But it then carried out one of the most brutal crackdowns on Egypt's oldest and most powerful Islamist group.

In August it crushed pro-Mursi camps, killing hundreds of people and arresting the leadership along with thousands of their supporters.

'WE WILL STUMBLE'

Kerry arrives a day before Mursi and 14 other top Brotherhood leaders go on trial on charges of inciting violence.

Fahmy said Egypt, where long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak was toppled in popular protests in 2011, is passing through a challenging transition but the only way forward was democracy.

Success or failure of the Egyptian model, he added, will shape the Middle East, especially the countries that went through similar popular uprisings to topple dictators.

"We are trying to determine our political identity and it is a difficult process ... . There will be push back and forth and as we do this we will stumble ... . It is going to take time."

Fahmy said it would take Egypt up to five years to have a mature democracy.

For that to happen, Egypt must restore security and prosperity to the country of 85 million, whose economy and tourism industry have been severely hit by turmoil.

He said his government's mandate was to prepare for new parliamentary and presidential elections, vote on a new constitution in a referendum, start a reconciliation process and establish the democratic institutions for modern Egypt.

Responding to critics who say that Egypt was again in the clutches of the military, he said: "The more we take steps to implement the roadmap, the more you will see a civilian face to this process."

Democracy in Egypt is irreversible, said Fahmy.

"Why in the world would people come out twice in 2-1/2 years and change their president? This is not about whether we have it or not, it's about how long it takes us and what the cost is.

"The strongest voice in Egypt today is the Egyptian people ... . I caution against again ignoring the Egyptian people."

(Writing by Samia Nakhoul and Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Xavier Briand)

Accused Los Angeles airport shooter could face death penalty - prosecutor

Posted:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The man accused of opening fire at the Los Angeles International Airport faces charges of murder of a federal officer and committing violence at an international airport, U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte told reporters on Saturday.

Under the charges, federal prosecutors could seek the death penalty against Paul Anthony Ciancia, 23, Birotte said.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Tropical Depression churns toward Mexico's Pacific coast

Posted:

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A tropical depression took aim at the Pacific coast of Mexico on Saturday, threatening heavy rains in a broad swath of western Mexico near the same area where other storms have caused major flooding over the past couple of months.

Tropical depression Eighteen-E was churning over the Pacific Ocean 360 miles (580 km) south of the resort city of Los Cabos at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula and could become a tropical storm by Saturday night or Sunday, the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Centre said.

The weather system was travelling west-northwest at 6 miles per hour (9 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph), the NHC said in an advisory.

If the system becomes a tropical storm - with sustained winds of at least 39 mph (63 kph) - it will be called Sonia.

Mexico's government issued a tropical storm watch for a stretch of the coast from the port of Topolobampo south to the town of La Cruz, both in Sinaloa state.

The slow-moving tropical depression could unleash heavy rainfall in the western states of Colima, Michoacan, Nayarit and Jalisco, Mexico's national water commission said on Saturday.

The NHC said the Centre of the system will pass near Los Cabos by Sunday night, and then approach the mainland on Monday.

All of Mexico's major Pacific ports remained open, according to the country's Communications and Transportation Ministry.

In September, Mexico suffered its worst flooding since records began when storms Manuel and Ingrid converged from the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico, killing more than 150 people and causing damage estimated at around $6 billion.

Last month, Hurricane Raymond caused some flooding as it approached the Pacific resort cities of Acapulco and Zihuantanejo, but no deaths or major damage was reported.

(Reporting by David Alire Garcia and Noe Torres; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews


Moments of terror

Posted:

We asked colleagues at Star2 to write about their favourite horror films and memorable horror movie moments. What did we get? Tales of ah-choos, ah-ha-ha-has and ... hot dogs?

A paranormal plan backfires

When Paranormal Activity first came out, I thought it would be fun to get a DVD copy, switch off all the lights and watch it with my boyfriend Stewart. Since he doesn't scare easily, I told him that those were REAL footage we were watching. 

The film must've been super convincing because he believed me. And then something happened during the scene where Katie was dragged out by an unseen entity – one of our bedroom doors slammed shut! By then, I was frantic, and insisted that he switch on all the lights!

Look out for that door! A scene from Paranormal Activity.

Look out for that door! A scene from Paranormal Activity.

Try as we might, we couldn't determine what might have caused the slamming of the door. At the end of the day, it was me, not Stewart, who spent the next few days or so suffering from sleepless nights. — Louisa "Dancing Zombie Queen" Lim

Split pea sneeze

Many years back, the favourite late night show for my sister and I was The Exorcist. We grew up watching a lot (and I mean a lot) of horror movies, so it wasn't anything out of the ordinary for us to watch reruns of The Exorcist almost every week.

While I was quite used to the disturbing physical transformation that Linda Blair goes through for her role as Regan, there was just this one time, during a scary scene, my sister sneezed loudly into my ear. You can bet I had the shock of my life! 

Talk about getting up on the wrong side of the bed... a scene from The Exorcist (1973).

Talk about getting up on the wrong side of the bed... a scene from The Exorcist (1973).

That incident has since been ingrained in my mind. So now, every loud sneeze I hear would immediately remind me of Regan's demonic eyes as well as "split pea soup"! — "Sadako" Lee Mei Li

Listening is just as bad

My scariest horror movie experience was listening to The Exorcist. It was projected on the side of one of the buildings at my boarding school on open-air movie night. The only one too afraid to watch but wanting the others close by, I stayed in my second-floor classroom and heard every blood-curdling sound even with my fingers jammed into my ears. I sat scrunched up in the same position the entire 122 minutes. — "The Jinx" Jane F. Ragavan

Cultish evil

Undoubtedly, The Evil Dead, the 1981 film directed by Sam Raimi, is very schlocky, even by 1980s standards. But that's what makes the film so great.

The low-budget quality gives The Evil Dead a whole level of fun – there's snappy dialogue, amateur acting and inexpensive (but ingenious) effects to balance out the number of disturbing scenes, which have all made the film a cult classic. 

It's probably not a good idea to hide in a hole in the ground when the Evil Dead come for you. Just sayin'.

(Like all classics, there have been many carbon copies of Raimi's debut feature but the best one so far is Cabin In The Woods by Joss Whedon.)

It tells the story of five friends travelling to a cabin in the woods for a getaway. There, they discover a book, which they read outloud, and voila! they release flesh-possessing demons.

Yeah, this basically means the good times are over for the gang, but has just begun for the audience. — Mumtaj "Mumm-Ra" Begum

Three, four, better lock your door

It's never easy for me to pick a "favourite" something, so I'll talk about three horror movies that I like instead – A Nightmare On Elm Street, Candyman and Clive Barker's Hellraiser.

Elm Street was a wonderfully scary film that left me sleepless for days (because, you know, if you sleep then you'll dream and it is in dreams/nightmares that Freddy Krueger will come for you with his sharp, pointy fingers).

Candyman made me cover the mirror in my bedroom because I feared that the murderous Candyman might suddenly "walk" out of it and terrorise my life.

Finally, Hellraiser – Pinhead , king of the Cenobites. 'Nuff said. — Melody "HelL." Goh

Horror hotdog

I don't watch horror films. Nay, I hate watching horror films. I don't like the feeling of dread that creeps up on me as you watch them, knowing that at anytime, something is going to JUMP OUT AND SCARE YOU.

I also don't like being scared, period. It's not like I've never watched a single horror movie before, I just would prefer NOT to watch them. Yeah yeah, I'm a 'fraidy cat, so sue me.

No hotdogs needed for THIS scene. Ripley faces off with the Alien queen in James Cameron's Aliens.

No hotdogs needed for THIS scene. Ripley faces off with the Alien queen in James Cameron's Aliens.

Anyway, my earliest memory of watching a movie that really scared me was Aliens, which I watched in the cinema with my mum and sister. 

Before the show, my mum bought us a hot dog each to eat in the cinema, but mine remained uneaten until the end of the show because I was too busy using it to cover my eyes to actually eat it ... — Michael "Psycho Potato Peeler Killer" Cheang

Fearful Fridays

During my secondary school years, Friday was absolutely the best day of the week as it was reserved for movies. Right after school, my best buds and I would rush to the closest cinema. Our favourites were horror flicks. 

Never mind that some of them scared us out of our wits, screaming with your friends, I say, is the best part of any movie experience. Hence, if I were to name my all-time favourite horror movies, they mostly be from the 1980s. Co-incidentally, my top three picks are all from 1987.

Prince Of Darkness by horror maestro John Carpenter was critically-panned. Watching the trailer online now, the special effects are cheesy and the acting is laughable. But boy, oh boy, did I love it then. I even watched it twice.

You might want to ease up on those tanning bed sessions, my dear. From John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness.

It's about a priest (Donald Pleasence) who invites a group of academics and students to join him in the basement (nothing ever goes right in the basement) of an abandoned Los Angeles church. He requests their assistance in investigating a cylinder containing a swirling green liquid, which turns out to be a demonic force.

I also like The Lost Boys which made vampires sexy way before Twilight, and Evil Dead II. The latter saw a remake recently, but while it was more gory, it lacked the humour and scare factor of the original series. I like it when the "Boo!"s are accompanied by "Ah-ha-ha-ha"s. — William "Krazy Killer" Kee

Fearing for a friend

My most memorable horror movie experience was an unintentionally funny one a few years ago. My then boyfriend (now husband!) and I had gone to the cinema to watch Visits: Hungry Ghost Anthology. This was a local production and featured four short stories centred around the "Chinese Halloween" or hungry ghost festival.

Actress Tay Chin Fie in a scene from the local supernatural flick Visits: Hungry Ghost Anthology

Actress Tay Chin Fie in a scene from the local supernatural flick Visits: Hungry Ghost Anthology.

Although the movie had not received good reviews from the critics, we had gone to watch it because a friend was acting in it. Well, needless to say, we did not find the movie that scary. 

Instead, when our friend emerged in a scene (his face all powdered up to look pale, since he was supposed to be dead), it was so unexpected to see him in that state that we burst out laughing, and rather loudly too.

And though it was dark in the cinema hall, we could feel all the eyes shifting from the big screen to glare at us! — Ming "Spooky Shapeshifter" Teoh

The witching hour

Every now and then a horror movie comes along to leave you, well, horrified ... for days. For me it was after watching The Exorcism Of Emily Rose. Honestly, any movie that has got anything to do with the bible truly freaks me out. Who are we to say that the devil does not exist!

In the movie, it was explained that the "witching hour", which is 3am, marks an hour where evil spirits use to mock the Holy Trinity. In the movie, Emily wakes up at that said time. 

What is it with exorcisms and people levitating in funny positions? A scene from The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

What is it with exorcisms and people levitating in funny positions? A scene from The Exorcism Of Emily Rose.

I, too, started to wake up at that witching hour after the movie! I kid you not, call it whatever you want, a coincidence or a cry for attention.

Despite that strange occurrence, I've actually seen The Exorcism Of Emily Rose four times. It was a brilliantly crafted movie and was played extremely well by Jennifer Carpenter as Emily. — Gayathri "Scarythri" Nair

Howling good fun

Sure, there are scarier horror movies than An American Werewolf In London. And there are funnier comedies. But John Landis's 1981 horror-comedy has got to be paws-down one of the slickest, most entertaining "total packages" in the genre.

From the spooky scene where David Kessler (David Naughton) and his pal Jack (Griffin Dunne) are stalked on the moors to its startling CGI-free Oscar-winning man-to-werewolf transformation, from David-as-werewolf's initial night of slaughter to the side-splitting detour into an adult film theatre and the climactic mayhem in Piccadilly Circus ... this one really has it all.

David Naughton in An American Werewolf In London's groundbreaking transformation scene.

David Naughton in An American Werewolf In London's groundbreaking transformation scene.

Watching this was actually the most fun I had being (mildly) scared – hey, the nightmare sequences were quite unsettling at the time – because I could LOL so often at the twisted humour and the deadpan way the characters delivered lines like "I am a victim of your carnivorous lunar activities" or "I didn't mean to call you a meatloaf, Jack!"

Best viewed in its entirety (uncensored lah!) for the full impact of Rick Baker's pioneering makeup effects, the transformation as well as the bits where the werewolf victims come back as the living dead, in ever-yuckier states of decomposition. Oh, and so we can also (ahem) appreciate Jenny Agutter's performance and the funny adult flick See You Next Wednesday playing while David is confronted by his undead victims. Owooo-oo! — Davin "Head Caved In" Arul 

Check out our playlist of 'Top horror movie themes':

Steve McQueen heads to HBO

Posted:

The filmmaker is set to direct his first TV project for the company.

The British director behind 12 Years A Slave is developing a new drama series for HBO.

After making a name for himself as a video artist and feature film director, first achieving international critical acclaim with Hunger in 2008, Steve McQueen is now branching out into television. For HBO, the director is developing a drama series centred on an African American who covers up his background to better fit in on the New York social scene.

According to Deadline.com, the still untitled series will tie in themes from the John Guare play Six Degrees Of Separation and from Shame, McQueen's critically acclaimed film on one man's struggle to hide a sex addiction.

McQueen will author the screenplay for the series in tandem with Matthew Michael Carnahan (State Of Play, World War Z). HBO will then decide whether to move ahead with the project, for which producers are already considering their casting options.

Currently in theaters in North America, McQueen's third feature film 12 Years A Slave is expected to garner multiple Academy Awards. This historical drama, produced by Brad Pitt and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, tells the true story of a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery for over a decade. — AFP Relaxnews

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The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business


Caring Pharmacy’s IPO for public oversubscribed 33.66 times

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Caring Pharmacy Group Bhd's offer of 10.87 million shares of RM1.25 each to the public was oversubscribed by 33.66 times.

The community pharmacy operator, which is seeking a listing on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia on Nov 13, said there were 20,137 applications valued at RM471.64mil from the public.

Caring managing director Chong Yeow Siang said the overwhelming response reflected the healthy fundamentals and the potential growth prospects.

The joint placement agents also confirmed the 14.20 million shares made available for private placement were oversubscribed, according to a statement issued on Saturday.

The listing exercise involved the public issuance of 35 million new shares, which would result in raising  RM43.75mil.

Caring said 41% of the proceeds would be used to open new pharmacy outlets and another 27% for working capital.

Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd is the principal adviser, managing underwriter, joint underwriter with MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd, and joint placement agent with Inter-Pacific Securities Sdn Bhd.

Press Metal selling 20% stake in subsidiary to Sumitomo for RM444mil

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Press Metal Bhd is selling its 20% stake in its unit Press Metal Bintulu Sdn Bhd (PMBSB) for US$140.05mil (RM443.95mil) cash to Sumitomo Corporation's subsidiary.

It said on Friday the stake would be sold to Sumitomo's subsidiary Summit Global Management XII B.V. based on the net assets of RM46.66mil, potential future earnings of PMBSB and the potential synergistic benefits to Press Metal Group following the tie-up.

Press Metal said the sale and purchase agreement would hinge on several factors whereby PMBSB's plant had built 300 smelting pots capable of producing aluminium ingots and billets.

Another condition was that the plant should achieved an average daily production operating capacity of not less than 852 tonnes in the rolling 30 day period.

The plant also had to maintain an average electrical power consumption below 14,000 kilowatt hour a tonne in the rolling 30 day period.

"The proposed disposal provides an opportunity for Press Metal to unlock and crystallise the value of its investment in PMBSB.

"The proceeds raised from the proposed disposal will enable the Press Metal Group to mainly repay part of the bank borrowings, thus reducing the gearing level of the Press Metal Group as well as providing working capital for its main businesses," it said.

Press Metal said Sumitomo would become a substantial shareholder and strategic partner of PMBSB.

"This will enable the Press Metal Group to realise synergies of the partnership by capitalising on the network and marketing expertise of the Sumitomo Group as a whole in the aluminium business, with the intention of realising PMBSB's full potential," it explained.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies


Here's a scary thought ...

Posted:

WHEN senior editor Ann Marie Chandy suggested – well, "instructed" more like it – that the entertainment team do a Halloween issue, I was apprehensive. Are our readers interested in all things scary?

Apparently, the answer is yes. When we sent out a message to the other writers in Star2 to get them to tell us their favourite horror films of all time, the response was overwhelming!

I was a big fan of horror films growing up. I'd watch everything on haunted houses and scarred-faced demons, to slasher flicks and torture porn. Because I had an overactive imagination, I'd be frightened during bedtime – what if Freddy Krueger turned up?

So, I made a pact with myself: no more horror movies when I move into my new place and start living by myself. I've managed to keep the promise for five years ... but I had to break it a few months ago in the name of work.

I had to interview horror master James Wan, which meant I had to watch The Conjuring. I had my eyes closed half the time at a special preview in San Francisco for journalists. The group I was with (which included someone who has never watched a horror flick in his life and another who lives in a haunted apartment in Singapore and is prone to "see things") had a good time at the movie.

This is an indication of why the horror genre is doing brisk business – we just love to be scared silly.

"(Audiences) get so into it in horror movies. They scream, they laugh. It's like a roller-coaster ride," said Wan who directed recent horror box office successes Insidious: Chapter 2. It is true what the director said. At campfires, we tell ghost stories and at amusement parks, we make a beeline for the haunted house.

After The Conjuring, I have stopped watching horror movies because I don't want any sleepless nights. But have I banned everything spooky? Not exactly. I still park at Basement 4 at the office even though I've been told that there's a ghost (in a colourful shirt!) lurking about.

My friend Leonardo, who is an avid fan of horror films, summed it up best: "Every day, our life is filled with comedy, action and drama. You either experience it yourself or you read it in the papers. As for horror, you don't experience the supernatural on a daily basis. That's why some of us gravitate towards scary stuff."

With that, here are our scary treats for you this Halloween.

Related stories: 

Moments of terror

Terrorising villains

Of men and monsters

East or West: Who scares us best?

Homegrown horror hits

Bolly-good spooks 

Spooky melody

Let the hunt begin

Djinns, demons and hantu 

Star2's YouTube playlists: 

Top 10 horror movie made by Asian filmmakers

Top five scary music videos 

Top 10 horror movie themes

Top five monsters/ghouls/freaks you don't EVER want to bump into

Terrorising villains

Posted:

1. Jack Torrance (The Shining) – A writer takes the job of a caretaker at a hotel during winter when it's shut down. Built on a burial ground, the hotel has – within its four expansive walls – a lot of unsettled spirits looking for the next person to join them permanently. Poor Jack never knew what hit him; he slowly loses his sanity and gives in to the ghosts' deadly wishes. Winter is here to stay for this Jack.

Ju On..

2. Vengeful spirit (Ju-on) – Convinced his wife is having an affair, a man kills her and their son. All that rage has caused a curse to remain in the home where they died. Anyone who comes in contact with the location is affected and soon starts to see a creepy kid and his cat. This, ultimately, signals their imminent end.

3. Bride In Black (Insidious: Chapter 2) – Josh Lambert has had this old woman in a black wedding dress shadowing him since he was a child. Finally, the "Dark Bride" gets access to him when Josh enters the other side to retrieve his lost son. As it turns out, the spirit is that of a serial killer. Now that it has possessed Josh, it gets to terrorise every member of the Lambert family.

4. Pazuzu (The Exorcist) – This 1971 release is one of the most horrifying films to depict demonic possession. After moving to her new home, 12-year-old Regan MacNeil turns into a foul-mouthed little girl. Regan 2.0 also develops a really bad skin problem – with cracks and unhealthy colour on her cheeks that no make-up can hide. All these changes are no thanks to a demon named Pazuzu that has conveniently made her its new home.

5. Chucky (Child's Play) – This is the first film in a string of many featuring the possessed doll named Chucky, which has put a fear in many younger audience. A red-haired, blue-eyed doll comes to life when a homicidal maniac's soul is transferred into it, so he can escape the death sentence and continue killing. Even in a body of doll, Chucky remains a menace and a killer.

6. Damien Thorn (The Omen) – Say hello to Damien, the spawn of Satan. His parents may have been happy to take him home from hospital – after their own was stillborn – but soon they are having a tough time as the unruly boy is sullen to a fault. Things take a turn for the worse when his governess commits suicide. Later, gleefully, he knocks his mother off the balcony with his tricycle. A black hound (might as well be from hell) seems to have taken a liking to him too.

7. Bathsheba (The Conjuring) – The Perrons move into their new house at a countryside, only to discover that the original occupant – (spoiler alert!) a witch who killed her own child before committing suicide – is still living there, haunting the house. This evil spirit plans to do harm to every member of the Perron family, starting with the mother.

8. Pennywise, The Dancing Clown (It) – No one really remembers much about the plot of this film but everyone remembers the sadistic and wisecracking clown called Pennywise. Its main weapons are candy and balloons; with these, it lures children and consumes them. And with this film, the fear of clowns becomes truly justified.

9. Sadako Yamamura (Ringu) – Anyone else covered their TV set with a cloth after watching this film? This Japanese horror resuscitated the genre, unleashing many knock-offs, besides scaring the bejeezus out of us. The plot is simple: Whoever watches the cursed video is dead within a week. When her son watches it, Ryuji has no choice but to find the truth about the cursed tape. There is a tragic story behind it, but this doesn't take away an ounce of shock at seeing the spirit (with long, unruly hair and staggered movements) coming out of the TV to claim its victim.

Freddy Krueger is not anyone's man of dreams.

10. Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare On Elm Street) – Freddy Krueger creates the most horrific nightmares, one that usually ends with the dreamer's death. A few children on Elm Street are too afraid to go to sleep as they don't want to meet the badly burnt man in a red-and-green striped sweater, wearing gloves with razor sharp knives and a penchant for twisted nursery rhymes. We totally understand.

Related story:

Of men and monsters

>> Check out our playlist of "Top five monsters/ghouls/freaks you don't EVER want to bump into"

Daniel Radcliffe to play athlete in film

Posted:

The grown-up Harry Potter star is set to portray British sportsman Sebastian Coe.

Daniel Radcliffe is to play British athletics great Sebastian Coe in a film about his rivalry with fellow middle-distance runner Steve Ovett, filmmakers announced recently.

Gold will examine the tussles between countrymen Coe and Ovett, who exchanged titles and world records during the early 1980s.

Ovett beat Coe over 800m at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, but Coe claimed revenge in the 1,500m final six days later and successfully defended his title at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Coe went on to head the organising committee of the 2012 London Olympics and is the current chairman of the British Olympic Association.

The film is expected to focus on Coe and Ovett's preparations for the 1980 Olympics, but it has not yet been announced who will play Ovett.

"You were either an Ovett person or a Coe person and that's what makes it such a great character piece as well," said the film's producer, Vicky Licorish.

Filming for the movie, which was first announced in February 2010, is expected to begin in April next year.

The screenplay will be based on an account of the rivalry in a book called The Perfect Distance by British athletics journalist Pat Butcher.

Radcliffe, 24, shot to fame by playing the title role in eight film adaptations of J.K. Rowling's blockbuster series of books about child wizard Harry Potter. — AFP Relaxnews

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