The Lone Ranger will be releasing in Singapore on 4th July 2013, [yes, it happens to be US’s Independence Day] and I am really excited about it because it stars Johnny Depp.
An action-adventure film, this film is infused with thrills and humour and in The Lone Ranger, Native American Spirit Warrior, Tonto [Johnny Depp], recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid [Armie Hammer], a man of the law, into a legend of justice.
Taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction, the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.
The Lone Ranger also stars Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, Ruth Wilson and Helena Bonham Carter, and is directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski.
If anyone recall Monsters, Inc., you would probably remember Mike [the one-eye green monster] and Sulley [the large furry blue monster]. Now, here’s some interesting news because Monsters University, the prequel to Monsters, Inc., will be releasing in Singapore on 20 June 2013.
Movie Plot
Set about 10 years before the events of Monsters, Inc., serious yet intelligent Mike is extremely eager to start college, where he is majoring in scaring. Things don’t go quite as planned, though, when Sulley happens to be in the same fraternity as him. Sulley shows to be almost the exact opposite of Mike: playful, all-brawn, and most notably large; and he is also majoring in scaring. However, both Mike and Sulley soon become enemies in a rivalry that will tear their worlds apart, including going to jail, but which ultimately brings them together.
Personally, I am excited to catch Disney Pixar’s “Monsters University” because of Monsters, Inc. and it would be very interesting to catch the prequel to the movie. Not only that, Mike and Sulley are very adorable monsters and I like the way they worked together in Monsters, Inc. It would also be interesting to see how Mike and Sulley’s friendship started in Monsters University.
If you’re a big fan of Monsters, Inc. and you’re planning to catch Monsters University you might want to know that on Disney Studios Singapore Facebook Page, you can stand to win exclusive movie premiums and in-season passes to Monsters University by participating in the Monsters Aptitude Test [M.A.T] However, do take note that the M.A.T App does not run on mobile devices.
To find out what you’re in for, check out the Monsters University Movie Trailer:
Thanks to Disney Studios Singapore and Nuffnang, Baby and I were given a pair of tickets to catch Oz The Great & Powerful and we really enjoyed watching the movie even though we caught it a little too late than the norm.
Here’s the Movie Plot [as extracted from GV’s website]:
When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot–fame and fortune are his for the taking–that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity–and even a bit of wizardry–Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.
Our Review of the Movie:
We found Oz The Great & Powerful to be rather heartwarming and we really liked how the story unfolded. The casts acted really well and we really hope that there will be a sequel in the pipelines. The movie is suitable for children and we really like how the movie teaches values such as responsibility and accountability. Having said that, there could have been some improvements made because we found certain scenes lacking depth and elaboration. Anyways, the movie doesn’t follow exactly the way it is originally written by L. Frank Baum and it is 2 hours and 11 minutes long. If you’re looking for a fantasy-adventure sort of movie, this is one movie you got to catch!
Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful movie will be screening in the cinemas from 7 March 2013 onward and it will be the 1st Disney movie that I am planning to catch this year!
With a production budget of $200 million, Oz The Great and Powerful is a fantasy adventure film directed by Sam Raimi [the very same director whom directed all of the Spiderman movies]. Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, Oz The Great and Powerful is set before the 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz”. The film stars James Franco as Oscar Diggs, otherwise known as the Wizard of Oz and it is available in the traditional 2D format, and as well as Disney Digital 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D formats.
Personally, I am rather excited about this upcoming movie because “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” novel was my favourite novel when I was a child and it would be interesting to see how the plot of the movie would link to the 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz”. Not only that, it would be good to reminisce my childhood days and catch the character [Oz] that I love on the big screen! I don’t know about you but I am definitely excited about Oz The Great and Powerful!
If you’re planning to reward your child for doing well in school before the March Holidays, bringing them to watch Oz The Great and Powerful might be a rather rewarding experience for them.
Here’s the Movie Plot [as extracted from Shaw’s Website]:
Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot–fame and fortune are his for the taking–that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting.
Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity–and even a bit of wizardry–Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.
By the way, if you’re interested in winning some movie premiums, do take part in the “Tweet To Win” promotional contest on Disney Studios Singapore Facebook Page!
Alright, I shall continue from where I left off about my Awana Genting Trip with Nuffnang.
The 2nd day of our trip went by pretty slowly. After waking up, I went for a quick shower and just when I had shampoo and soap all over my head and body, I discovered a leech that was crawling rather slowly on the wall.
I believe almost everyone would have played this in school camps before and well, even though it looks easy, tight coordination and speed are required to win the game! [photo courtesy of Nuffnang]
The 2nd challenge was to have two balloons placed under our armpits and one balloon placed in between our legs, and we had to dash from one point to the other with the balloons. Again, this wasn’t that easy but it sure was fun because we looked extremely funny when dashing from one point to another with the balloons awkwardly placed! I looked kinda stupid trying to retrieve the balloon that dropped while I was dashing over to the other point. [Photo courtesy of Nuffnang]
The 3rd challenge was pretty straightforward. We had to form the longest line using only the items we have on our body. So, I guess there’s no need for a photo for that. 😛
The 4th challenge was to dash to the balloon, turn 5 rounds around it, grab the rubber bands using only the straw, and then dash back to the starting point. I think my team did pretty well for this one. [Photos courtesy of Nuffnang]
Last but not the least, we were required to perform a team cheer that lasted for 30 seconds and well, it was an overall good team effort because everyone gave their best shot for the final challenge! [Photo courtesy of Nuffnang]
The prizes were generously sponsored by Resorts World Genting and as for my team, we won a 2D1N Stay at First World Hotel! 🙂
It was overall a rather fruitful and rewarding trip to Awana Genting. I really would miss the beautiful greenery and cool weather over there. In fact, this trip to Awana Genting has allowed me to make new friends in the Blogosphere, but more than just that, it has also given me one of the rarest opportunity to experience the more adventurous side of Genting. I am really indeed thankful to Nuffnang for selecting me to go on this trip, so kudos to Nuffnang and Awana Genting! & also not forgetting Zul and the rest of the team that made this trip possible for all of us![Photo courtesy of Nuffnang]
I wanted to continue from where I left off about my Genting Trip but because Wreck-It Ralph is going to be screening in the cinemas TOMORROW, I reckoned that it would be good for me to do a short write-up about how Baby and I felt about the movie and then continue my blog entry about the Genting Trip probably tomorrow!
Thanks to Nuffnang and Disney Studios Singapore, both Baby and I had the opportunity to catch Disney’s latest animation movie, “Wreck-It Ralph” just two days ago and we will highly recommend you to watch this movie if it is going to be the last movie you will ever watch on planet Earth [which we believe will not happen].
Here’s the Movie Plot of Wreck-It Ralph [as extracted from Golden Village‘s website]:
Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy(R)-winning director Rich Moore (TV’s “The Simpsons,” “Futurama”) take moviegoers on a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping journey in “Wreck-It Ralph.” Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly, “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” “Step Brothers”) is tired of being overshadowed by Fix-It Felix (voice of Jack McBrayer, “30 Rock”), the “good guy” star of their game who always gets to save the day. But after decades doing the same thing and seeing all the glory go to Felix, Ralph decides he’s tired of playing the role of a bad guy. He takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a game-hopping journey across the arcade through every generation of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero. On his quest, he meets the tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch, TV’s “Glee”) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty. But it’s the feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman, “The Sarah Silverman Program”) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, whose world is threatened when Ralph accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens the entire arcade. Will Ralph realize his dream and save the day before it’s too late?
Our Review of the Movie:
Disney’s movies are always heartwarming and Wreck-It Ralph isn’t an exception. In fact, there are many meaningful values that the little ones could learn from the movie and we really love the movie. Although we felt that the ending was pretty abrupt, we nonetheless enjoyed every single moment of the movie and we will give it two thumbs up!
If you’re still planning what to do over this weekends, heading to the movies to catch Wreck-It Ralph might just be the thing you need to cure that boredom.
Here’s the Movie Trailer for Wreck-It Ralph:
Also in light of recent events like the Zoey Raymond Saga and the Change in Instagram’s Policy; I might delay the blog post about Genting and probably give my two cents opinion about the recent news. We’ll see how things go. Meanwhile, we’re also in the midst of setting up our very own Formspring Corner; so do look out for that!
Last but not the least, our giveaway of a bottle of Moscato D’ Asti by G.D. Vajra, Italy, and a Frezfruta Hello Kitty Promotional Pack is ending in 1 day time and we are happy to announce that Jason Koh and Saralyn Low are currently in the lead for the giveaway respectively!
For those whom did not win in the giveaway, fret not because when you participate in our Winsomelifers’ Programme, you can still earn loyalty points every time you “visit” our blog, “like” a blog entry, or even “tweeting” about us; and with these loyalty points, you can redeem for stuffs like Popular Book Store Vouchers, Starbucks Gift Card, or a Golden Village Gift Card from us! It’s our way of thanking you for being our loyal readers here on A Winsome Life. Also, we are planning to add more items for the Winsomelifer’s Programe so if you have any suggestions on what items you would like to redeem, do feel free to pop us an email at admin@awinsomelife.org
I was with the Nuffies for a 2D1N Awana Genting Trip that was generously and graciously sponsored by Genting and the trip was really fun and extraordinary! Ok, just to make my point clear; our trip was unlike the usual Genting Trip. In fact, our Genting Trip was very much in the “wilderness” [the sort you would associate Outward Bound Singapore with].
We were told to report to Golden Mile Complex at 0630 hours and I had to wake up at 0500 hours to prepare myself! Well, it has been a long time since I’ve woken up at hours like these since my army days and so, I cabbed down and was there pretty early.
Having grabbed some light snacks from the nearby Caltex Petrol Kiosk to munch on during the trip, I met up with the Nuffies and we boarded the Five Stars Tours Coach.
Sitting beside me whilst on the way to Genting were two lovely ladies, MeiTing & Michelle! Please don’t get the wrong idea here! All of us are happily attached to our other half 🙂
We had a short stopover at Yong Peng and I got my Malaysia Mobile SIM Card here for RM$30. By the way, the Malaysia SIM Card that I got allows me to make phone calls, send SMS-es, and surf the Internet! For unlimited data access, it would cost RM$8 a day and that is relatively cheap to me because if I were to use Data Roaming via Singtel, it would cost SGD$22 per MB! What a total ripoff right?!
By the way, the Five Stars Tours Coach was rather comfy and offers a rather spacious leg space. I could even lean the seat all the way back as though I’m sleeping on my couch!
The more atas [high-class] Five Stars Tours Coach even has Personal Entertainment, Videos On Demand [VOD], Massage Chair + Snoozer Seats, and even Guide Services.
To energise us after a long journey on the coach, we were treated to a buffet lunch at the Rajawali Coffee House where a wide range of food choices were available for us to choose from.
I had quite a healthy lunch consisting of fruits, desserts, and salad. Didn’t really have the appetite for a heavy lunch especially after the long journey.
Travelling to Sarawak Long House [our camping site] from Awana Genting’s Lobby can be quite a distance. So, we travelled on the mini buggy to get there.
When everyone arrived at the Long House, we were given a short tour around the campsite by Zul! He is a very nice and friendly facilitator throughout our entire stay. [photo courtesy of Nuffnang]
The toilet isn’t as bad as what most people would think. If everyone is cooperative and makes a conscientious effort to aim their pee and clean up the mess, the toilet is actually quite liveable. The only thing which probably irked everyone was the constant flying insects and etc.
And this is the shower area. Many people would think that the showers at the campsites don’t have hot water but well, the shower does come with hot water; which I believe everyone is really thankful for!
Oh, and everyone was pretty thankful that there was power points for us to charge our phones and cameras! Truly a lifesaver indeed! By the way, there are 7 power points and it is definitely not enough. So, if you are heading there anytime soon, it would be wise to bring along a super-long multi-plug!
Since I didn’t expect that there would be power points, I actually bought along my Energizer XP4001 Universal Portable Charger which allowed me to fully charge my iPhone 5 twice! So yeah, I didn’t have to compete with others for the plug. 😛
After touring around the campsite, we broke up into 4 different groups and started the programme proper.
Here’s a photo of my team [Team Duo], consisting of Peishi, Diana, Kelvin, and myself.
We started the ECO Treasure Hunt with the Tangram Puzzle and seriously, it was difficult and complex. Thankfully, my team managed to clear this and all thanks to Peishi for her brilliant mind!
We had to decide for ourselves if time or points was more important. Obviously, the more difficult the puzzle, the more points there are; but that would also mean more time taken to complete the puzzle due to its complexity.
Having completed our first challenge, our second challenge was to locate the ECO Park and complete a physical activity. And so, when we reached the ECO Park, we found out that our second challenge was to get hooked up to the flying fox, and while flying mid-air, drop two golf balls into the hula hoops to gain points.
Following which, our third challenge was to locate the Sunrise and Sunset Complex where the Archery and Wall Climbing are situated; and shoot some arrows + climb some wall.
A photo of MeiTing’s Team at the Archery Range [photo courtesy of Nuffnang]
MeiTing’s team at the Wall Climbing area. [photo courtesy of Nuffnang] I really do miss rock-climbing a lot; since I was quite an active climber in the past!
After the ECO Treasure Hunt, we were all so famished that we could eat a cow! Boy were we glad when it was time for the BBQ Dinner at Pasir Ikan Bakar!
Seriously, the BBQ Dinner was way better than the lunch at Rajawali Coffee House and the food prepared by the Chefs were oh so yummy!
The BBQ Dinner was so fabulous that we really ate a lot! And after dinner, we headed to the campfire area for some lighthearted games like “Passing the Balloon a-la Dare Style”, “Guess the Leader”, “Charades”, and etc.
To kickoff the night activity, we had a group challenge where we had to eat [or literally downed] 2 sticks of Solero Split Ice-Creams and then aim and throw the Ice-Cream Sticks into a box to gain points.
In the end, my team only managed to get 1 Ice-Cream Stick into the box.
Adiji ahdiji ah uh ah, adiji adiji zim bom ba, ah au ah, zim bom ba, rah rah rah! [The campfire certainly reminded me of my camping days in the National Cadet Corps]
Anyways, the weather wasn’t that good when we were there. It was raining on and off and as a result, we had to move to the Long House and continue with the rest of the night activities there. [Photo courtesy of Nuffnang]
The last game we had was Charades and it was really funny because we came out with some really funny moves that were totally unrelated to what we were supposed to act about!
Well, the game of Charades very much ended the night on a high note and the mystical feeling at the Long House was simply stunning with the mists and all. We had a light supper before heading to bed and this very much concluded day 1 of our trip to Awana Genting.
It’s 4 more days to the supposedly “End of The World” [EOTW], 8 more days to Christmas, 15 days to the New Year, and 16 days to my 1st day of work in the new year. On a side note, our current giveaway of a bottle of Moscato D’Asti by G.D. Vajra, Italy is ending in 3 days time and we’re happy to announce that Jason Koh is currently in the lead for the giveaway. +Claps Claps+.
I [Melvin] just came back from a really tiring but fruitful sponsored trip with the Nuffies at Awana Genting and I will be blogging about it soon; so do keep a lookout for that blog entry because you will discover another different side of Genting apart from the usual casino, food, and accommodation!
Since the Bloggers’ Challenge has officially ended, Lion City Distributions hosted an appreciation dinner at J.K Don Cafe & Bar for all the Bloggers whom were involved and it was a fabulous evening indeed.
J.K Don currently has two outlets in Singapore, one at Shaw Tower and the other one at Telok Kurau. Both their outlets serve Japanese and Korean cuisine.
J.K Don Cafe & Bar at Telok Kurau has a cosy alfresco dining area where you can just chill and catch up with your colleagues/friends over some drinks and snacks. They even screen live soccer matches too!
and the Grand Winner of the Bloggers’ Challenge is none other than Celestial Delish! +Claps Claps+. The gentleman whom presented the prize was the owner of Sin Sin [remember the Sin Sin Kaya that comes in a metal tin that we always eat for breakfast?]
The dinner ended with a blast and we really want to thank Lion City Distributions for the fantastic dinner that we had and the kind invitation to participate in their Blogger’s Challenge. Celestial Delish really deserves the grand prize because she came out with quite a number of recipes using Gold Kili‘s Coffee and Frezfruta Jams as ingredients!
Also, I guess that by now almost everyone would have heard of the Gold Kili and Frezfruta’s Hello Kitty Promotional Packs that are selling at all NTUC FairPrice, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra, Sheng Shiong and Prime. If you haven’t heard, check out the following link: https://awinsomelife.org/2012/12/12/shoutout-to-all-you-hello-kitty-fans-out-there/
Now that you know about the Hello Kitty Promotional Packs, we have a piece of good news to share with you all. We currently have one Hello Kitty Promotional Pack to be given away to one very lucky winner.
By the time you are reading this Blog entry, I am on a coach to Awana Genting and I will be back on Saturday evening.
I was so elated when I received the news from Nuffnang that I have been selected to go on a sponsored 2 Days 1 Night trip to Awana Genting Highlands Golf & Country Resort [Awana Genting for short]. And well, this is perhaps one of the greatest opportunities that I ever had to rub shoulders with the Elites in the blogosphere.
I believe everyone has heard of Resorts World Genting [RWG for short] and I guess almost everyone I know would have been to RWG at least once or more than that. But if I were to ask how many of you have been to Awana Genting, my guess is only a handful will kee chiu.
A picture of Awana Genting [Credits to Sylistic.Com]
Now, what would I exactly be doing at Awana Genting during the 2D1N trip?
From the Email that I received from Nuffnang, I reckoned that there will be tons of outdoor activities that I will be participating in and some of the activities include an ECO Sport Treasure Hunt, a Campfire, and also a BBQ dinner! What’s more, some of us will be sleeping in Awana Genting Long House while some of us will be sleeping in tents!
Sounds really fun and exciting right? This upcoming trip will definitely remind me of my good ol’ camping days in the National Cadet Corps.
Anyhows, being the curious person that I am, I went to “Google” and see if I could find any information about the trip and I chanced upon a few blogs by Malaysian Bloggers whom participated in the trip that was previously organised. While I’m not entirely sure if my itinerary is the same as theirs; I could tell that they really had a lot of fun during the trip.
Since it’s a 2D1N trip, I intend to travel light and here’s what I packed:
1X Insect Repellent
1X Compact Camera and Spare Batteries
1X Torch Light
1X Portable Charger
2X Set of Clothings
1X Mobile Phone
1X Set of Toiletries
1X Towel
I’m not very sure if there will be a stopover at Yong Peng but if there is, I will probably pop by and purchase a Data SIM Card for me to surf the Internet and keep in touch with everyone via Whatsapp, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. So meanwhile, stay tuned and happy weekends everyone!
Hello Everyone,
thanks to Nuffnang and Disney Studios Singapore, Baby and I had the opportunity to catch the gala premiere of the movie, “Brave” at the Grand Cathay.
Having collected the tickets, we headed to the washroom to freshen ourselves up and we kinda like the way they put up the Male & Female toilet posters to indicate the direction to the Male & Female toilets respectively.
This particular movie premiere that we attended was unlike many of the ones we attended before. In fact, there were games organised before the movie premiere and well, Baby and I had a go at some of the game stations.
So.. there’s this mini Tug-of-War station that only can accommodate a maximum of 4 players.
There was also a photobooth that was set-up for this event and well, Baby and I were quite enthusiastic about it [or I think it was only me whom was enthusiastic]
Having tried all the games and activities, we then journeyed to the cinema hall where we had the chance to catch the movie, “Brave” before anyone else in Singapore [except those whom were invited of course]
Baby and I felt that the movie was fantastic and it is very family-oriented. As such, the movie is quite suitable for children and it is perfect for family gatherings/outings especially during the upcoming National Day. I am not sure if teenagers would fancy this sort of movie but Baby and I enjoyed it alot. Also, the movie teaches children about values and we feel that it is an ideal movie for wholesome content. If you are looking for a movie to watch during the upcoming National Day, do check out the movie, “Brave“! By the way, the movie will only be released on the 8th of August 2012.
Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In “Brave,” a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts. Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.
