Sunday, November 2, 2014

Doctor Who S08E11


Part one of the two-part season 8 finale of Doctor Who sees The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) come facing off against the mysterious enemy named Missy (Michelle Gomez). While the first half of the episode gives viewers the feels, it all ends with the cliffhanger that lets viewers guessing what comes next when an army of Cybermen are threatening the Earth. What comes next? Be sure to tune in on the final episode of Season 8 as The Doctor teams up with UNIT and taking down familiar enemies until the part where sacrifices must be made to end the battle. The last episode of the season, airing next week, is going to be one hell of a rollercoaster ride.

But for now, here's a behind-the-scenes clip from this week's episode.

Hyundai Aslan (AG)

2015 Hyundai Aslan

This is a brand new premium executive sedan from South Korean carmaker Hyundai that emerged out of nowhere like someone stealing a plane under the enemy's noses during a heated battle. It's called the Aslan, Turkish for lion, and this car wants to live up to its name as the car that is worth better to lead than to follow. So what? Is this what Hyundai's answer to the BMW 3-Series looks like?

Hey...I've seen this before...

Yes. You've seen this before. It was appeared at the Busan International Motor Show last Spring as the Hyundai AG Concept. When Hyundai plans to name the unnamed AG sedan, they've decided to give it a nobler name. A name that holds nobility. That's where the Aslan kicks in.

Hold on, Hyundai has so many sedans in their lineup, right?

Yes. There are so many Hyundai sedans in one place. Quite a spectacle. There's the Accent, the Avante, the Sonata, the i40 Saloon, the Grandeur (in petrol, hybrid, and diesel guises), the Genesis, and the flagship Equus.

Where does it positioned?

The Aslan is positioned between the Grandeur and the Genesis.

Is it bigger than the Grandeur?

Hmmm....That's a legitimate question but it can be a no and a yes because the Aslan has the same wheelbase, width, and height as the Grandeur but when it comes to length, the Aslan is 60mm longer than the Grandeur so you can think of the Aslan as the Grandeur's LWB cousin just so you know.

But the Aslan looks like a mini-Genesis to me...


2015 Hyundai Aslan interior
The Aslan is heavily influenced by Hyundai's "Fluidic Sculpture 2.0" design philosophy first applied on the latest Genesis last year but by the way it looks, this is like a mashup between the Sonata's front (sort of) and the Genesis' rear. The interior has a very same story as well but even though the Aslan has the Genesis-influenced interior, it's still very comfortable and very convenient. It even comes with the Lexicon premium sound system with 12 speakers, which deliver crystal-clear sound quality like you get from an expensive luxury car. Go ahead, try Bluetooth-ing your iPhone, play some music, and hear what happens. Because of its extended length, the rear legroom is not very bad at all, as long as someone is not fiddling with the front seats that sabotaging the space between you and your legs. Those viscounts and viscountesses wouldn't mind about it.

I suspect that the Aslan, being a bigger Grandeur, is a front-wheel drive, right?

Sadly, yes. The Aslan is a front-wheel drive premium sedan just like the Grandeur so it's not well matched to take on the 3-Series, the C-Class, or the ATS. Still, the new Aslan is worth a shot to take on the Audi A4, the Alpheon, the Buick LaCrosse, or the Cadillac XTS...well, as a theory.

Engine choices are...


2015 Hyundai Aslan

Hey, watch it. You're stealing my line. Anyway, the Aslan has two petrol engine choices; one is a 3.0L V6 GDi engine, straight from the Grandeur, and the other one with the 3.3L V6 GDi engine, straight from the Genesis. Both of these engines are mated with the 6-speed automatic gearbox. The 3.0L V6 engine produces 270PS of power, 31.6kg-m of torque, and combined fuel economy of 9.5km/L while the 3.3L V6 engine produces 294PS of power, 35.3kg-m of torque and 9.5km/L of fuel economy. Hold it...9.5km/L of fuel economy combined on the 3.3L V6 model? Isn't that the same as the 3.0L V6 one? Clever but such fuel consumption needs to be verified or they don't wanna wind up in the whole fuel consumption fiasco like last time...Geez...

What about the way the Aslan performs?


2015 Hyundai Aslan

Well, as a front-wheel drive car, the Aslan feels more as civilized as a Viscount enjoying a nice game of chess with his Marquis pal...sort of. Nobility-wise, its handling level is on its viscount nobility and it feels more like a European sport sedan thanks to the extensive use of MacPherson Struts on the front and Multilink suspension at the back. The rack-and-pinion steering feels a bit like an old Hyundai but that doesn't stop the Aslan from behaving like a luxury car in its own right.

Technology-wise, the Aslan is as technologically-advanced as high-end luxury cars. From Advanced Smart Parking Assist System, Lane Departure Warning System, Forward Collision Warning System, Around View Monitor, Flex Steer, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Adaptive Forward Lighting System, and much more, the Aslan feels like the future is now thanks to science.

Should I buy it?

The Aslan is priced from 39,900,000 KRW to 45,900,000 KRW, so it's expensive than the Grandeur but affordable than the Genesis so it's a smart buy but be advised, this is a Korea-only car and Hyundai has no plans to ship it globally. In short, it's Korea-only, LHD-only, and that's it. Zip it. Period.

Available Colors: Ice White, Platinum Silver, Polished Metal, Remington Red, Night Sky, Dark Horse, and Phantom Black.

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Halloween in Westfield Southcenter

It was one heck of a cloudy afternoon when me, my sister Elise, her baby Irvine, and my brother-in-law Senior went for an afternoon break at Westfield Southcenter and not just any afternoon break because it's Halloween day and in Halloween, most of the people are in costumes. I've seen kids going around the mall in their costumes to do some trick-or-treating and it's not just the kids are into costumes, grown people are joining in the Halloween action.














Bubble Gang - October 31, 2014

On the October 31, 2014 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Dexter...errrrr...Desiree the Binatilya faces some love at the cemetery.

- "Bawal 'to" gags.



- Mr. Assimo in the cafe...



- IKAW AT ANG INA takes on...prayer posts!

- A fateful encounter at a cemetery

- Spirits playing the "possessed" prank...but not as expected as they've hoped for...

- All your questions are answered on ANG BAGONG DATING DOON INTERNATIONAL!

Friday, October 31, 2014

HALLOWEEN 2014: Ideal horror movies to watch

We all enjoy watching some super scary horror movies on the dead of the Halloween night. Most horror flicks include some ghosts, monsters, demons, and most famously, zombies. So, if you have some pals you've invited for a Halloween movie night, what are the best horror movies for you and your pals to watch on Halloween nighttime afterdark?

1) The Child's Play series

Yes, the Child's Play series is notably one of the most scariest films to watch and it's not recommended to watch with the kids because...it's about a spirit of a serial killer possessed through a toy named Chucky. Such gore scored this maniacal ginger-haired killer toy numerous sequels like Child's Play 2, Child's Play 3, Bride of Chucky, and Seed of Chucky. If you want the ultimate wet-in-your-pants thrills, I'd suggest to find yourself the killer DVD collection packed with all the Child's Play movies. Worth the scare, right?

2) The Friday the 13th movies

In superstition, Friday the 13th is considered unlucky, but in horror movies, Friday the 13th is about a killer in a hockey mask named Jason hunting down hapless teenagers. There are 12 movies of this franchise, including the killer Freddy vs. Jason movie where the masked killer meets his match: the man with a viciously long claw named Freddy Krueger.

3) A Nightmare on Elm Street

Anyway, on the subject of Freddy Krueger, this madman is the one to scare for in A Nightmare on Elm Street. There are seven Elm Street films from the first one up to Wes Craven's New Nightmare but deciding which of the Elm Street movie is the scariest and gory is all up to you. It's worth the slash when it comes to your craving for fear.

4) Saw

Hello...I want to play a game. Yes, the sadistic killer known as Jigsaw is notorious for the insane contraptions where most of the victims died while a few managed to survive. The Saw series has been one of my favorite in the horror movie department but sadly for me, I only liked the first two. The seventh and the final chapter was gory but sadly...it really is the end for the franchise, which is sad. Yes, there are seven Saw films from the start to finish and if you're a faint at heart, best to look away while you can because you can't take the gore from such a scary franchise.

5) The George A. Romero's zombie movies

The 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead was fine but has anyone seen the original 1979 version? Well, never mind about that but the George A. Romero zombie movies were the ones that defined the zombie movie trend by storm and the franchise is well known to be "one of the most daring, hypnotic, and absolutely vital horror films of the past decade" (fangoria.com). Whether if it's Dawn of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead, Diary of the Dead, Survival of the Dead or Land of the Dead, these zombie movies are more of a treat if you are in the urge for some zombie movie marathon this Halloween with your mates.

6) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Inspired from real events, Texas Chainsaw Massacre is about a group of teens taking a detour from a road trip to Texas and what happens next is beyond their darkest fears. It maybe a cult favorite but sadly, this genre can be a bit of an overrated for us but if you get the hang of it, then this might be more gory than any other horror movies you know. Be warned though, EVIL WEARS MANY FACES.

7) Scary Movie

If too much horror is on your mind, how about a mixture of horror and comedy to bring you some good vibes on Halloween? Yes, the Wayans bros. made a series of spoof films based on some of the most notable horror movies known to mankind. The latest was Scary MoVie, which is the fifth installment of the film and it spoofs films like Paranormal Activity, Mama, and so much more.

8) Battle Royale

Okay, so maybe not much of a horror but this is definitely one of the most bloody brutal movies made by the Japanese. In a dystopian future where the Japanese economy collapsed, the government established the Battle Royale where a group of school kids kill each other until the only one survived. I was amazed that Tatsuya Fujiwara, the one who played Light from the Death Note movies since 2006, was in that movie but more importantly, this killer Japanese movie is worth traumatizing. I watched the first one and trust me on this, it really shocked my mind till the end of the film.

9) The Conjuring

One of 2013's most scariest movies ever seen by many, The Conjuring was inspired from real events and it's about a group of paranormal investigators called upon to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse. It maybe known to be one of the most terrifying cases the world has ever faced but watching this movie 'till the end will keep you wondering. On 2014, there's a prequel spin-off called Annabelle and just like The Conjuring, Annabelle is still a scary movie to watch and it's not recommended for the faint at heart.

10) Paranormal Activity

Most of the bizarre moments are caught on tape in the series of films where paranormal things happen after dark and caught on tape. The first Paranormal Activity film takes place on a suburban starter tract house where residents were disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic but mostly active during the night. In the second installment, Paranormal Activity 2, after Dan and Kristi gave birth to a newborn baby, something demonic is going on after dark. In the prequel Paranormal Activity 3, the chilling moments of young sisters Katie and Kristi were caught on tape for the first time. Paranormal Activity 4, the pre-sequel, takes place five years after the disappearance of Kati and her nephew Hunter, she has returned with a mysterious boy, ready to target new victims caught on tape. The recent film, The Marked Ones, the first ever PA spinoff, centers on the victim named Jesse as he heard horrifying sounds from his neighbor's apartment, only to found out that there's an ancient curse that won't stop until he's dead.

11) The Purge

In a dystopic future, there was an event called The Purge where one night a year, all crimes are legal. Last year's film really was a very frightening experience and because of the frightening success of the last film, they've spawned a followup earlier this year called The Purge Anarchy. Watching both of the Purge films makes viewers experience some serious trauma about the plot where all crimes are legal in one night and how to survive until the end of the annual purge.

12) Ghostbusters

Ah yes, the horror-comedy-action movies about a group of Ghostbusters responding to some paranormal emergencies and ready for action! Who else remember these films as well as the theme song? WHO YOU GONNA CALL? GHOSTBUSTERS! These movies maybe very very old but they're a lot more enjoyable to watch...

Well, there are so many horror movies to recommend you but I guess I'll just stop here. Feel free to decide which horror movie is best suited for your Halloween horror movie night and enjoy the dead of the night with your pals...if you dare.

HALLOWEEN 2014: What should you be wearing for Halloween?

Halloween is here and so many people are getting into the Halloween spirit by, nope, not just candies, but getting their inner character on. Yes, people are dressing as their favorite characters no matter how old they are. You see that's what we love about Halloween because we can be who we want to be.

Because of so many choices, it's time for me to narrow down (sort of) some of the ideal characters you want to dress for Halloween if you want to stand out from the rest...

FOR THE KIDS:

Even today, kids love to dress as their favorite cartoon characters and most shops are offering kids' costumes to dress up with but what to dress as is everyone's guess and I'm listing the recommendations on what to wear for the kids this Halloween:

- Disney characters from the past, present, and future has always been every little boy or girl's favorite for Halloween season. For the boys, the best Disney characters they want to wear are Woody or Buzz from the Toy Story trilogy films, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Aladdin, the seven dwarves from Snow White, Mr. Incredible, Dash, there are so many Disney characters to be for the little boys but because we're in the 10's (that's a decade for 2010's) and now it's 2014, best to dress as this decade's Disney characters such as Dipper Pines from Gravity Falls, Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, oh, and The 7D. What? You know nothing about The 7D? The new show as seen on Disney XD?! Here's what The 7D looks like if you haven't seen one...

The 7D


These are The 7D: Sleepy, Sneezy, Happy, Dopey, Bashful, Doc, and Grumpy. Think you can dress as one of the 7D? Come on, give it a try. It takes creativity and some shopping from thrift stores to pull one off. Oh and you're planning to have your kid dress as The 7D's Grumpy, make sure you bought a plastic flower pot from the Home Depot. Yes, they look like flower pots but they're unbreakable even when you fall it from a height. It may sound ridiculous but it's what you need to give your kid a Grumpy look.

I almost forgot, are you guys planning to watch the upcoming Disney movie, Big Hero 6, next month? Well, if you have a kid who's chubby, that would be just the perfect bet to turn him into Baymax for Halloween? Hmmm? Don't know Baymax? Time to relook at that trailer:



See that big white character that looked like the Michelin Man? That's Baymax. Sorry if I had to say that but it takes a white fat suit and some mascot trickery to have little chubby kids be like Baymax from the upcoming Big Hero 6 film. Even without the armor main character Hiro Hamada made for him, it still looks good to dress as Baymax.

As for the girls, Disney Princesses are what every little girl wants to be; Snow White, Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Jasmine from Aladdin, Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Mulan, Tiana from The Princess and The Frog, Rapunzel from Tangled, and Merida from Brave. That sounds good for the girls but for today's climate, with the success of Disney Junior TV show Sofia the First and last year's Disney movie Frozen, most little girls are ready to be either Sofia, Princess Anna, or Queen Elsa for Halloween. Speaking of the upcoming Big Hero 6 movie, how about telling your little girls to dress as Gogo Tomago and Honey Lemon this Halloween? I know they're too tricky to pull one off but if you have good creativity skills turning your little girls into one of the heroines from the upcoming movie. Yeah, sounds great and if most of the kids fully dressed as the Big Hero 6, trick-or-treating never felt so super.

Aside from that, little girls can dress as other Disney characters such as Doc McStuffins, Sheriff Callie, Nina from the Nina Needs To Go shorts, Mabel Pines from Gravity Falls,

- The 2014 live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles may have the most ugliest rendition of the Ninja Turtles but that doesn't stop them to garner some Turtle fans into watching this film, especially when we laugh at Mikey's pop culture references. Good thing some toy stores are offering costumes inspired from the 2014 movie and if you want your kids to dress as one of the Turtles; from the leader Leonardo, hotheaded Raphael, geeky Donatello, and the fun-loving Michelangelo, that's your call. Still, Michelangelo's my favorite because I watched that film last summer and I laughed at his lines. Now I know how I felt upon watching my favorite childhood heroes reloaded.

- Marvel superheroes are every little boys' dream to become one for Halloween. From The Avengers, X-MEN, to Spider-Man, whichever Marvel superhero you want is all up for the little boys but that doesn't stop there because with the arrival of Guardians of the Galaxy, there's no shortage of choice which Marvel hero will be. If you haven't see Guardians of the Galaxy, here's the movie that will serve as your inspiration for the little boys to be one of them...except for Gamora because she's female and little girls can be Gamora.

Guardians of the Galaxy
Like I said, little girls can be Gamora but the boys can be either Star-Lord, Rocket, Drax, or Groot. Well, the first three was fine but for Groot, it's going to be difficult to have your little boy dress as that hulking tree-like creature but you can try that yourself. Gosh...I have a super strange feeling that Guardians' Groot looks the same as Pokemon XY's Trevenant. Get it? Because they both look like trees. He he he...

- Adventure Time may have been with us for four years but this hit cartoon is still doing the rounds for our little kids with some more surprises. Because of Jake the Dog's power to change into things, finding some Jake the Dog-related merchandises is a lot easy especially the Jake suit. Yes, everyone wants to be Jake but they can feel free to dress as main character Finn the Human (or Fionna the Human girl if you have a little girl), Ice King, Marcy, or PB. Word of warning though, Lady Rainicorn and LSP are extremely impossible (due to LR's long body and LSP's...well globby looks and levitation). As for BMO, it takes a cardboard box and some art to pull one off so your kid can be a BMO.

- The DC Universe remains a very popular choice for the little ones. Kids can be either Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Cyborg, The Flash, or any other heroes from the DC Universe.  Feel free to choose which DC hero or villain your kid can be for Halloween.

- The Transformers also remains one of the most popular choice for the kids and thanks to the Age of Extinction film, looks like they still got the touch. Those trick-or-treaters are going to be one of the Autobots or the menacing Dinobots from the movie but I prefer seeing little kids dressed as Optimus Prime or Bumblebee for Halloween. Well, Bumblebee's still my pick because he's a Chevy Camaro and he's cool even with his new look.

FOR THE ADULTS:

Kids dress as cartoon characters for trick-or-treating purposes. We, adults, dress costumes for fun especially when they are going out to the party. In the case of "Everyone let's have fun here", we're all free to be who we are but for me, there are some ideal suggestions on who are you going to be on Halloween.

- Vampire Fashion. No need to be the king of vampires like Dracula and because vampires are so hot thanks to Twilight and Vampire Diaries, the ideal vampire fashion is all gothic and dark. That's right, gothic and dark. The looks that inspired a blood-sucking immortal.

- Because of The Walking Dead and other zombie movies in history, zombies are all the rage and if you are planning to dress as the flesh-munching undead for the party, have enough make-up and some ragged clothes to wear because...that's how zombies look like; wearing ragged clothing with some blood spills, creepy-looking faces, and a scary stance that is a proof of being a flesh muncher.

- Science Fiction is what all geeks and nerds know about and for Halloween, nerds and geeks of all kinds are glad to be either from Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and any other forms of sci-fi we all know about. Since this is 2014, I'd expect some people will turn up as one of the characters from Star Wars Rebels (except Chopper because he's a robot and we're too small to be like Chopper) or the 12th Doctor from Doctor Who. For those who want to be the 12th Doctor, take a look at what he's wearing:

12th Doctor

Notice the coat he wore. It has some red inner sides while his coat's exterior remains much darker for you to see. It's going to take a lot of luck to find his coat (or some old man's toupee to complete the look)...but if you managed to find it, dressing as the 12th Doctor is no slouch, got it? Also be advised that the Daleks and the TARDIS are extremely impossible to cosplay as and if I say "impossible", I really mean it because it takes some metal (or polystyrene) to create a Dalek replica and insert yourself on it a la Metal Gear's cardboard box, even going on the party as the TARDIS. Heh, good luck going to the party as a Dalek or the TARDIS. They won't see your faces...

- Like what kids do, we can always feel free to dress as a Disney character from the past, present, and the future. For today, I personally recommend dressing as this decade's Disney characters; say Frozen, The 7D, Big Hero 6, Gravity Falls, you name the rest but it's your call. I suspect that in the case of Big Hero 6, one of your pals is chubby enough to cosplay as Baymax. He he he...

- Superheroes. You'll name them, you'll be them. Whether if its from Marvel or from the DC Universe, it doesn't really matter.

- Some people will be wearing as their favorite anime heroes and villains so whether if its Naruto, One Piece, Dragon Ball, SAO, Attack on Titan, or any other anime otakus know, you are always more than welcome. Parties are getting used to those anime otakus nowadays. 

- As for video game characters, well I'd recommend dressing as one of the characters from this year's hottest games such as Destiny, Infamous Second Son, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, The Evil Within, Sunset Overdrive, Lords of Shadow 2, Tomodachi Life, Call of Duty Advanced Warfare, Titanfall, and so much more. Those hardcore gamers really know how to get their game on, even at the outside world dressed as a video game character.

- We love cosplaying as one of the Pokemon characters and while in the age of XY, Pokemon XY that is (from the Pokemon X and Pokemon Y games and the Pokemon the Series XY TV show), I'd recommend cosplaying as one of the characters from this generation. From the main characters, the Kalos Gym Leaders, those Team Flare baddies, the allies (Shauna, Tierno, and Trevor), Professor Sycamore, the Kalos Elite Four, even the Kalos Champion Diantha as well. As for the Pokemon...oh jeez...remember the whole "impossible to cosplay" part? Remember the "mascot trickery"? Some people never learned...and they'll just dress as their favorite Pokemon anyway...even the four-legged ones. Come on...we only have two legs so if you're going to dress as a Pokemon, you have to act like one and if you're dressing as four-legged Pokemons (say Sylveon, Xerneas), you'll gonna have to move on all fours, which is very exhausting...

With the upcoming Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, might as well take the time to dress as one of the Hoenn region characters for a change?

I guess I'll just stop here. Feel free to dress whichever character you want to be and have a happy halloween, folks!

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Forza Horizon 2 - Barn Find #04: Ferrari GTO

willys

Now this is what my big plans for the Willys Jeep looks like. I decided to turn the vintage jeep into something more reminiscent of the Filipino equivalent of hot rods that were built in the shed; an owner type jeep. Like hot rods, owner-type jeeps were made from the shed and apart from the steel bodywork they've made, they're using old parts from old cars, mostly sedans, hatchbacks, or whatever. Although while owner-type jeeps look like offroaders, they feel like cars and they don't do off-roads unless if necessary.

Well, there's more to it than that, anyway, want to show how it's made? Huh? What's this? I've picked up a BARN FIND RUMOR? Involving an abandoned Ferrari 288 GTO?

barnfind

The barn find in question was marked between San Giovanni and Montellino, my next stop for the Horizon Festival, and after venturing through the forest full of trees, I have discovered that the 288 GTO barn find is just 3.6 miles from the Horizon Festival. Just like the rest of the barn finds discovered (so far, it's been three barn finds discovered), if you found it, wait for a couple of minutes or hours until you get the notification that the 288 GTO's restored and then rush to the nearest hub to claim it.




gto

Such a timeless supercar, isn't it? Anyway, the GTO name, derived from the legendary 250 GTO Le Mans racer, was used for Ferrari's berlinetta that was produced from 1984 to 1985 with a total of 272 units produced. Originally, that car was used to compete in the Group B Race series but when they found out that Group B racing was ceased to exist, it never got a chance to race one and as a matter of fact, all 272 cars are made to be road-legal. It was powered by a 2.9L turbocharged V8 engine that produces 395HP of power and 366lb-ft of torque. It's 0-60 was in the upper 4-second range and flat-out, it can do 189mph. It may not be as quick as the legendary F40, the first supercar in the world to break the 200mph barrier, but it's still an impressive car to drive if you're in the mood for savoring that Ferrari nostalgia you've been longing for since...the beginning of time probably.

Speaking of impressive, the road trip to Montellino's on and it's time for me to use that barn find I've recently discovered. See you later!