STORY TO BE TOLD

My Soul To Take

Starring: Max Thieriot, John Magoro, Zena Grey, Denzel Whitaker, Nick Lashaway, Paulina Olszynski

Director: Wes Craven
Genre: Horror

Wes Craven might be the king of horror but with this movie his reign is in jeopardy.

Release Date: 9-Dec-2010

Language: English

Distributor: United International Pictures

Synopsis:

In the sleepy town of Riverton, legend tells of a serial killer who swore he would return to murder the seven children born the night he died. Now, 16 years later, people are disappearing again. Has the psychopath been reincarnated as one of the seven teens, or did he survive the night he was left for dead? Only one of the kids knows the answer. Adam "Bug" Heller (Max Thieriot) was supposed to die on the last night the Riverton Ripper wrecked havoc on that terrifying night. Unaware of terrifying crimes being committed to the seven children, he has been plagued by nightmares of their murders while not aware if they hold true or if he is simply imagining the images that haunt him. But if Bug hopes to save his friends from the monster that's returned, he must face an evil that won't rest...until it finishes the job it began the day he was born

Credits to and source taken from: http://ecentral.my/movies/

A Soulless Flick (The Star Online)

By Punitha Yogaratnam

My Soul To Take

Rating(out of 5): * ½

(United International Pictures)

Starring: Max Thieriot, John Magoro, Zena Grey, Denzel Whitaker, Nick Lashaway, Paulina Olszynski

Let's just face the facts: Hollywood can't do horror, not the type of horror we Asians are used to anyway. I mean they actually thought Paranormal Activity was scary! They should watch Korea's A Tale Of Two Sisters or Japan's Ju-On, now those are real horror movies.

Growing up I found a couple of Hollywood horror movies pretty scary – The Omen and The Exorcist (the originals, mind you). Those two kept me up at nights but the horror flicks being churned out by the Hollywood machinery these days are not so much horror as they are thrillers.

And My Soul To Take is just that, a thriller and not a very good one at that.

The movie begins with Abel Plenkov, a multiple-personality schizophrenic who is also a mass murderer known as The Ripper.

GETTING PERSONAL: What's your name again? Nevermind, you're probably going to be killed any minute now!

Early on Abel is “killed” and he becomes the town legend. Some in town believe his multiple “souls” are reborn to seven kids born the second he supposedly dies.

Exactly 16 years later, the Riverton Seven are being knocked off one by one. Now it's a race against time to find out which of the surviving seven is the killer. Is it Adam 'Bug' Heller, the innocent kid, his close friend Alex Dunkelman or could it be Abel, back to finish what he started?

To find out, you have to sit through this agonizing movie directed by Wes Craven.

You would expect a Wes Craven movie to be at least shocking, you'd expect it to be scary. Sadly this is not true and I personally feel that people are going to wise up to the fact that Wes Craven can't hide behind his name anymore. I mean just because he was behind the best cult movie in the world, A Nightmare On Elm Street, doesn't mean that all his movies are going to stand the test of time.

TIME OUT: How am I suppose to get ahead if my role is just five minutes long?!

As for the actors in My Soul To Take, they are unknown and if that's not bad enough, you don't get to invest in their characters at all because before you can say “B-grade movie”, they're all dropping like flies.

My Soul To Take has no character development, the plot line was inconsistent and the delivery was choppy.

The entire movie, actually, felt as if director Craven was rushing through it as if sensing that what started out as an interesting idea was turning out to be a nightmare he didn't intend.

Credits to and source taken from: http://ecentral.my/movies/

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Starring: Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Will Poulter, Laura Brent, Simon Pegg, Gary Sweet, Arthur Angel

Director: Michael Apted
Genre: Fantasy

This year, Narnia gives that other fantasy movie a run for its money in the CGI department.

Release Date: 9-Dec-2010

Language: English

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Synopsis:

Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to narnia with their cousin Eustrace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea abourd the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.

Credits to and source taken from: http://ecentral.my/movies/

Release Date: December 10, 2010 (3D/2D theaters)
Studio: Fox Walden
Director: Michael Apted
Screenwriter: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Richard LaGravenese, Michael Petroni
Starring: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes, Will Poulter, Gary Sweet, Bruce Spence, Arthur Angel, Shane Rangi, Liam Neeson
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy
MPAA Rating: PG (for some frightening images and sequences of fantasy violence)
Official Website: Narnia.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here

Plot Summary: This time around – Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb – find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world.

Joining forces once again with their royal friend Prince Caspian and the warrior mouse Reepicheep, they are whisked away on a mysterious mission to the Lone Islands, and beyond. On this bewitching voyage that will test their hearts and spirits, the trio will face magical Dufflepuds, sinister slave traders, roaring dragons and enchanted merfolk. Only an entirely uncharted journey to Aslan's Country – a voyage of destiny and transformation for each of those aboard the Dawn Treader – can save Narnia, and all the astonishing creatures in it, from an unfathomable fate.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a 2010 3D fantasy-adventure film based on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third published novel in C.S. Lewis's epic fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the third installment in The Chronicles of Narnia film series from Walden Media, the first in the series to be distributed by 20th Century Fox and the first one to be released in Digital 3D.

Set a year after the events of the second film, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, the two younger Pevensies Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) are transported back to Narnia along with their cousin Eustace Scrubb (Will Poulter). They join the new King of Narnia, Caspian (Ben Barnes) in his quest to rescue seven lost lords to save Narnia from a corrupting evil that resides on a dark island. Each character is tested as they journey to the home of the great lion Aslan at the far ends of the world.

The film premiered on November 30, 2010 at a Royal Film Performance in London. It will have a wide theatrical release in traditional 2D, RealD 3D, Digital 3D and a limited release in 4D on December 10.

Plot summary

The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his voyage to find the seven lords, good men whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne many years earlier. His Telmarine ancestors had never built ships as they had always feared the sea.

The journey takes Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, their cousin Eustace Scrubb and King Caspian to the Eastern Islands, beyond the Silver Sea. Their mission – on which rests the fate of Narnia itself – takes the courageous voyagers to mysterious islands, a river that turns whatever it touches to gold, confrontations with magical creatures and sinister enemies. They will meet Lilliandil the half-star and reunite with their old friend and protector, the great lion Aslan. They will also have to save Narnia from an "unfathomable fate", including a mysterious green mist.

Main characters

• Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie: The youngest of the Pevensie children who first discovered the world of Narnia during the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, she came back to Narnia for the last time to save it from a threatening evil while her faith is being tested.
• Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie: The second youngest of the Pevensie children. He more matured during the events of Prince Caspian as he takes good care of his younger sister and cousin while they embark on a voyage to defeat the enemy. On his journey, his hunger for more power against Caspian and the White Witch are being tested.
• Will Poulter as Eustace Scrubb: The Pevensie children's annoying cousin who gets transported to Narnia for the first time along with Edmund and Lucy. At first, he irritates everyone in his bratty attitude but it dramatically changes after he was cursed into being a dragon for his demeanor
• Ben Barnes as King Caspian: A Telmarine prince who was once helped by the Pevensie children to ascend to the throne as the new King of Narnia during the events of Prince Caspian. He embarks on a voyage to seek the seven lost lords of Narnia and to defeat an enemy who threatens to corrupt it. Along the way, he rescues Lucy, Edmund and Eustace and his faith was also being tested.
• Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan: The great lion and the highest of all the Kings of Narnia. He tests everyone in their faith as they embark on a voyage to defeat the evil and to seek His country in the ends of the world. He finally reveals to Lucy and Edmund that they will no longer visit Narnia and they must know him as someone else in their own world

Narnians

• Simon Pegg as the voice of Reepicheep: A valiant swashbuckling mouse who aided Caspian and the Pevensie Children during the events of Prince Caspian. He joined Caspian in the voyage to save Narnia for he is aware that his time is at an end and that he must seek the unseen Country of Aslan in the very end of the world as his last voyage.
• Gary Sweet as Lord Drinian: The captain of the Dawn Treader and Caspian's best friend.
• Shane Rangi as Tavros the Minotaur
• Morgan Evans as Randy the Faun
• Steven Rooke as Nausus the Faun
• Tamati as Jemain the Minotaur
• Ryan Ettridge as Caprius the Satyr
• Mirko Grillini as The Belligerent Telmarine
• Tony Nixon and Arthur Angel as Rynelf and Rhince, Telmarines

Lone Islanders

• Terry Norris as Lord Bern: One of the Lost Lords of Narnia who becomes the new Governor of the Lone Islands.
• David Vallon as Governor Gumpas: The Governor of the Lone Islands who supports the slave trade.
• Arabella Morton as Gael: A Lone Islander.
• Catarina Hebbard as Gael's Aunt
• Ozzie Devrish as Slaver
• Michael Foster as Gumpas' Money Collector
• Laura Brent as Lilliandil

Other Islands

• Bille Brown as Coriakin: A friendly wizard who helps out the crew of the Dawn Treader.
• Roy Billing as Chief Dufflepud
• Bruce Spence as Lord Rhoop: One of the Lost Lords of Narnia who gets trapped in the Dark Island.
• Mary Bradney-George as Dufflepud 5

Cameos

• William Moseley as Peter Pevensie: The oldest of the Pevensie children who was crowned as the High King of Narnia during the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but he was now too old to experience the wonders of Narnia after the events of Prince Caspian.
• Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie: The second oldest of the Pevensie children and a Queen of Narnia who was first skeptical in discovering Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but she was now too old to visit of Narnia along with her older brother Peter. She went to America with her parents leaving her younger siblings to spend vacation with their cousin.
• Tilda Swinton as Jadis, the White Witch: The former queen of Charn and a witch who once ruled Narnia after the events of The Magician's Nephew and during the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, her image was used by the evil of the Dark Island to torment Edmund in his test to defeat temptation.

Credits to and source taken from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://ocean-blu.blogspot.com/
http://dazzlingmeteor.blogspot.com/

Rawang girl follows boyfriend to Sabah but turned into servant
By MUGUNTAN VANAR
vmugu@thestar.com.my

KOTA KINABALU: A lovestruck teenager from Rawang eloped with her boyfriend to Sabah but quickly realised her mistake when she ended up being his family’s “maid”.

Reality sank in fast for the 16-year-old not long after she left her family and followed her 24-year-old boyfriend back to his hometown – he sold off her handphone and gold ring for money and kept her as a maid in his foster family’s home in Kelombong here since Nov 9.

She had fallen head over heels in love with the man whom she met just a few months ago after they both worked in the same catering company.

The girl fled from her boyfriend’s house recently and lodged a police report at the Menggatal station, seeking help to get back to her family in Selangor.

The girl, who was sweet talked by the man to follow him back to Sabah, left her home with only her clothes on her back and came over to Kota Kinabalu on an AirAsia flight a few days after running away from home.

She is believed to be a school dropout. The young couple decided to elope after the girl’s mother objected to their relationship.

Police have arrested the man and have contacted their counterparts in Rawang where the girl’s mother had lodged a missing persons report almost immediately after her daughter left home.

On Saturday, the police placed the badly-shaken teenager at the Bukit Harapan home pending efforts to take her home as they probed further into possible charges of abduction.

Bukit Harapan housemother Anne Keyworth described the girl as intelligent, adding that she was coping well with her current condition.

“Luckily, she had the sense to go to a police station for help and not just wander around and mix with wrong company,” she said.

She said the girl, who is the eldest of four siblings, missed her family and just wanted to go home.

Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/news/

Shark kills German tourist at Egyptian resort

EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP): A shark tore the arm off an elderly German tourist at an Egyptian Red Sea resort, killing her almost immediately, security and diving officials said Sunday, only days after sharks badly mauled four other European tourists in the waters.

The German woman was swimming in the waters off Sharm el-Sheikh, a famed diving and vacation resort in the Sinai peninsula, when the shark attacked, Egyptian security officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not allowed to brief the media.

"It was definitely a shark attack," said Hesham Gabar, the head of Egypt's Chamber of Diving and Water Sports. The German Embassy in Cairo could not immediately be reached for comment.

Sunday's deadly attack, which forced authorities to indefinitely close the resort's beaches, comes after oceanic white tip sharks mauled three Russians and a Ukrainian tourist last week, also off the coast of Sharm el-Sheikh. In one of those attacks, a shark bit off an elderly woman's hand and tore off another woman's leg.

Following those attacks, Egyptian authorities closed the beaches in Sharm el-Sheikh. On Thursday, the Environment Ministry said two sharks suspected of mauling the four tourists were caught.

Authorities allowed swimmers back into the waters Saturday after divers from the Chamber of Diving and Water Sports and the Environment Ministry scoured popular diving sites in an effort to ensure they were safe.

The Environment Ministry also ordered authorities to beef up security measures at beaches in the area. requiring diving centers to provide staff to supervise beaches and watch the waters for sharks.

But following Sunday's deadly attack, Sharm el-Sheik's beaches were closed indefinitely so as not to endanger the lives of tourists, said Zayad el-Baz, the deputy head of the CDWS.

Environmentalists warned that the string of recent attacks is likely a result of the Red Sea's declining ecosystem. Gabar, the head of the CDWS, said he's seen a jump in the number of sharks off Egypt's Red Sea coast, which he said could be caused by overfishing, which could force sharks to swim closer to shore in search of food.

The spate of shark attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh - one of Egypt's main beach resorts that attracts hundreds of thousands of foreign vacationers annually - could deal a blow the country's tourism industry, a vital source of income.

Beach tourism is believed to contribute some 66 percent of Egypt's total income from tourism, which is expected to reach $12.3 billion by end of the current fiscal year ending 2011, Tourism Minister Zohair Garanah was quoted as saying in state-owned Al-Gomhuria daily.

In September prime minister predicted the country's economy could grow by six percent in the current fiscal year, boosted by strong first quarter results in tourism.


Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/news/

Government ‘no’ to child marriages
By FLORENCE A. SAMY and LESTER KONG
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government does not condone child marriages and will look into the wedding of a 14-year-old girl to a school teacher.

Women, Family and Community Develop­ment Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the Government was clear in its stance that it did not condone child marriages.

Shahrizat said the ministry’s policy was that children below 16 years were still in need of guidance, protection and the chance to form their own character.

“A marriage is about responsibility. She is still a child.

“As far as I know, she’s got the consent of the court. But I implore the courts to be cautious.

“As far as the Government is concerned, a wedding does not make a marriage,” she said when met at the Barisan Nasional Convention here yesterday.

Teenager Siti Maryam Mahmod married 23-year-old Abdul Manan Othman, a family friend in July.

They were one of 250 couples at the 1Malaysia mass wedding held at the Federal Territory mosque on Saturday.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, who was the event’s guest-of-honour, was reported to have said the marriage was legal as it had the Syariah Court’s consent.

Currently, Muslim girls below the age of 16 can marry with the Syariah Court’s consent while non-Muslim girls between 16 and 18 years old can marry with the authorisation of the Mentri Besar or Chief Minister.

Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah called for a review of civil and Islamic laws to prevent child marriages.

“The minimum age of marriage should be 18.

“There should be no exceptions for Muslims or non-Muslims,” she said.

Empower executive director Maria Chin Abdullah said Siti Maryam’s marriage was sending out the wrong message, that it was all right to have child marriages.

“We are denying the child the right to live, learn and develop, and forcing them to become adults.

“Our actions must reflect our international commitments,” she said.

Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/news/

Five in family die in tragic collision with army truck
By SARBAN SINGH
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

PORT DICKSON: Five members of a family on holiday here died in a tragic accident when an out-of-control army truck ploughed into their Proton Wira at KM19.5 Jalan Pantai near Pasir Panjang here.

Mohd Said Lakan, 58, his wife Rosnani Buyong, 50, their daughter Nordiana, 30, son-in-law Saipol Naaim Mat Dan, 36 and three-year-old grandson Muhammad Harith Firdaus died on the spot in the 11.15am tragedy.

It is learnt that the family from Hulu Langat in Kajang, Selangor, was travelling towards Malacca from here while the truck, from the Terendak Camp in Malacca, was heading in the opposite direction.

The Proton Wira driven by Saipol Naaim was reduced to a mangled wreck as the army truck dragged it into a ditch.

One of the victims was also decapitated.

Preliminary investigations revealed that either the driver of another car, a Proton Waja, or the army truck had entered into the lane of the other vehicle seconds before the accident.

Both vehicles then grazed into one another, resulting in the driver of the truck losing control. It then ploughed into the Wira, which was travelling behind the Waja.

The impact of the accident caused the truck to flip on its side.

Four of the five victims were trapped in the Wira while Muhammad Harith Firdaus was flung out.

The Waja then collided into a MyVi and a Kia Spectra which were travelling behind the truck.

The driver and four army personnel in the truck suffered minor injuries and received outpatient treatment at the district hospital here.

The male driver of the Waja, his wife and two young children were also rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Firemen from the Port Dickson and Teluk Kemang stations took 30 minutes to extricate the remains of the dead. The bodies were later sent to the district hospital here for post-mortem and were later claimed by relatives.

Port Dickson police chief Supt Baljeet Singh said police hoped to interview the survivors soon to establish the cause of the crash.

Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/news/