Up Close and personal with Mr NYP: Leonard Chew

By Farihin Joehari, Year 1, Diploma in Mass Media Management

GenerationNYP (GenNYP), held at The Grand Cathay on 21st July 2012, saw the crowning of Leonard Chew from School of Engineering as Mr NYP in this annual pageant!

Who would have guessed that the shy, action movie junkie who was initially a tad hesitant to join the competition would clinch the title of Mr NYP?

Miracles do happen when we least expect it. I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing the amiable Leonard Chew where I got up-close and personal and discovered deets that you want to know about this fine young lad!

1. Kudos for clinching the title of Mr NYP 2012! How does it feel to win this competition?
It feels great to be a representative of NYP! I will definitely do my best and serve NYP well!

2. Did you expect to win Mr NYP 2012?
I totally did not expect to win the competition. The other contestants are outstanding in their own ways and I believe that it is what makes us all winners.

3. Did you feel intimidated by the other contestants?
I did not feel intimidated at all. We see each other as friends rather than contestants. Through this competition, we all became very close friends and are dependent on each other for our confidence on stage. We also give pointers and advice to help one another out in our personal lives!

4. How has your life changed since winning Mr NYP 2012?
Life after GenNYP hasn’t changed that much. I am still the same Leonard I used to be. However, I have gained more confidence in myself. I am able to speak and present myself more confidently and on top of that, I feel that I am now a better leader and also a team player, not only in school but at work as well.

I strongly encourage everyone to participate in events organized by our students. You will definitely learn and receive much more than you expect.

"Look Ma, I'm trying to lift a jet!"

5. We understand that you're from Diploma in Aeronautical & Aerospace Technology, what made you choose the course? And, why NYP?
I love engineering. I thought about learning and working in the aviation field, and NYP seems to offer really interesting modules. That is why I am here!

6. What are the ups and downs of being a student of Diploma in Aeronautical & Aerospace Technology?
Maths. Any engineering course will require the use of Maths. It is not exactly my strong subject so I work hard to keep up with the pace.

7. How did you approach this problem?
I spend time practicing Maths and doing all my homework. Although it is really tedious, it’s essential. I always think of my goal to motivate myself. That goal is to become an aircraft engineer!


8. What is your favourite module and why?
Aeronautical Science is one of the most interesting modules I’ve studied. We get to learn about the fundamentals of the flight of an aircraft in detail and it ties into whatever I have learnt in my course. Every lesson amazes me.

9. Were your lecturer(s)/ tutor(s) a contributing factor for you liking for the module(s)?
I believe so. My lecturer enjoys teaching the module and he is very informative. He also makes lessons fun so we enjoy the classes while learning a lot from him.

10. Are you in a CCA? Do you take part in any other campus activities?
I’m not in a CCA. However, I just like to participant in activities organised by students like The Climb Run, which is a team event that requires you to run and climb the hundreds of steps around campus. It is good to spend some time off from studies and just have fun!

Leonard and friends at NYP!

11. How do you juggle your studies and social life?
It’s all about prioritizing. Just remember that whatever you do, there will be consequences. If you don’t like the consequences, don’t do it!

12. Let me just digress from the serious questions for a bit. What's one unique/ weird thing that you can do that may seem bizarre/ funny to others?
I can imitate the Ugly Pug face. Ugly pugs, Google it!

NOT Leonard. His imitation isn't that good. :P

13. Where is your favourite lepak(hangout) place in NYP and why?
South canteen! It has cheap and good food, lots of breeze and future engineers everywhere! It’s a pretty sweet place to hangout. Sometimes, you may spot me jamming on my ukulele with Arjunan (Hi Arjunan!) in South canteen.

14. What kind of movies and music do you like?
Like any other boy, I like action movies - Dark Knight, Spiderman and super hero stuff.

I am more of a music guy. Jason Mraz, AJ Rafael and Corey Taylor are three of my favorite musicians and have influenced me the most. Besides writing and playing awesome music, I feel that these guys and their bands went all out for music, for the love of music and not for money or fame.

15. You're at your final year now and National Service (NS) is coming up soon. What are your plans after NS?
My aim is to study in a local university, hopefully. I don't really have a plan, but I am open to opportunities that can help me improve and ultimately reach my goals in life.

16. If you could turn back time to change a certain phase of your life, what would it be and why? If no, why?
I won’t turn back time - I like it the way it is now. It reminds me of all the past choices that I have made, both good and bad, and how it has changed my life. I believe that it has taught me to make good decisions.

17. What is your life motto?
Learn from the past, do your best in the present, plan and not worry about the future. It is the principle that guides me through life.

And basically just learn to be happy and accept those things that at present I cannot control, while focusing my efforts on the things I can.

18. Any advice for students who wish to enroll to NYP?
My time in NYP has been very fun and fulfilling. I have found the lecturers from my course to be very knowledgeable and helpful. I am sure that you will learn more than what you expect. NYP is a very fun and conducive place to study. You will be glad you joined NYP!

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	A Year 1 Mass Media Management student, Farihin Joehari, has a penchant for cooking and wishes Nigella Lawson was his wife. He has a love-hate relationship with food and is a massive movie junkie! He loves going on escapades with his pals and might have a knack of whining too. He also enjoys going to concerts to be left in awe

Taken Once More

By Nur Wahidah, Year 2, Diploma in Mass Media Management

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

“Taken” was such a huge success in 2008 with its $226 million box office taking. It comes as no surprise that a sequel was made.

In this sequel, all the families of those who Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) killed, come together to seek revenge on him for killing their beloved family members. One of those is villain Murad (Rade Serbedzija). If you watched the previous movie, Murad’s son is the one whom Bryan killed.

Murad succeeds in tracking Bryan down to Turkey - where Bryan is working.  When Bryan’s job is done, his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) and ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) surprise him by showing up at his hotel to spend some family time together.

Things started to turn nasty when Bryan realises he was being followed. He tried to help his ex-wife Lenore to escape but failed. They ended up being kidnapped and held as hostages by Murad’s accomplices. Their daughter Kim managed to escape from being taken by hiding in her hotel room’s closet.

While being held hostage, Bryan sneakily made a call to Kim. Kim, being desperate and motivated to save her parents, made her father tell her what to do. Kim followed her father’s instructions, and managed to help him escape. However, he did not manage to save Lenore.

I probably shouldn’t spoil the ending for those who haven’t watched it yet, but for fans of “Taken”, you’ll be glad to know that this time, Kim is safe.

In my opinion though, the sequel isn’t as exciting as the first movie. This is because in “Taken 2”, everything happened in one day, which makes the movie seem shorter. It was also less believable because everything happened too quickly. However, it is still a must watch because Bryan’s performance as an ex-secret agent is always interesting and the action in this movie is thrilling.

“Taken 2” is currently showing in theatres. So hurry down now to the nearest cinema and catch this movie!

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Wahidah is a second year student doing her Diploma in Mass Media Management. She is passionate about writing, travel, food and good music. Her idea of a good time is spending an afternoon with a few friends over a cup of hot chocolate, or watching classic films featuring stars like Audrey Hepburn, Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews and so on. Her dream is to travel and have a food adventure around the world.

Time Travel – Yay or Nay?

Nur Wahidah, Year 2, Diploma in Mass Media Management





Image Credit: Sony Pictures

“They say that time travel is not invented yet, but it will be 30 years from now – in 2042.”

With an opening like that, who wouldn’t be intrigued? I’m sure the thought of going back to your past to change certain things has always been on your mind. However, after watching this movie, my opinion about time travel changed a little.

Joseph Gordon Levitt plays the role of “Joe” who is a “looper” in 2012. What is a looper? It refers to someone who assassinates people from the future. In the future, it is said that disposal of a body is so difficult that criminals zap their victims to the past and hire “loopers” to get rid of them.

The climax of this story is when Joe realises that one of the ‘victims’ he has to assassinate is his future self – which is played by Bruce Willis. The movie will then show you 2 different stories – what happens when past Joe shoots future Joe and what happens when past Joe lets future Joe escape.

This movie definitely is a must watch. You’ll learn how twisted time travel can be. Also, not forgetting, you will see lots of action, big guns and future gadgets!

If you find yourself a little confused after this movie, you’re not alone. I myself experienced the same thing but after a few discussions with my friends, I finally understood it.

What is interesting about this movie besides the storyline? If you’ve seen the trailers of this movie, you would never have guessed that Joe is played by Joseph Gordon Levitt. Being a big fan of him myself, I didn’t recognise him at all. But as I watched “behind the scenes” videos of the movie, I actually found out that
Joseph Gordon Levitt was made up to look like a young Bruce Willis – same blue eyes and face features.
“Looper” is currently showing in Singapore. So hurry down to the nearest cinema and catch this movie!

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Wahidah is a second year student doing her Diploma in Mass Media Management. She is passionate about writing, travel, food and good music. Her idea of a good time is spending an afternoon with a few friends over a cup of hot chocolate, or watching classic films featuring stars like Audrey Hepburn, Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews and so on. Her dream is to travel and have a food adventure around the world.

momscentre-shop

momscentre-shop

Looking beneath The Façade

By Kelly Liew, Advanced Diploma in Nursing (Midwifery)

Girls, girls! I found them.

Yes! I found two cute boys who actually sing.

Jereld Ang and Brendon Chua, the members of the band The Façade, melted my heart when they played their guitars and sang.

Jereld (left) and Brendon (right) rocking the house at NYP Jam! 2012

Earlier this year, they emerged as champions of NYP Jam! 2012. Following that success, they attracted 2 additional members and took the 1st Place when they competed against 7 other talented bands from NP, NUS, SMU and NTU at the starringNIGHT competition organised by the Singapore Management University (SMU) in August. 

The Facade was invited to perform at starringNIGHT to celebrate the conclusion of a series of activities to raise funds for My Buona Vista Place, a one-stop centre for social welfare programmes that reaches out to over 20,000 residents in the Buona Vista estate. Through starringNIGHT, they advocated the importance of building strong community ties by nurturing the spirit of helping the less fortunate during their time of need. Who doesn’t like amazing performers who also care for the community?

The vibrant CCA and arts scene in NYP promotes creativity and a love for the community while giving students a platform to shine. Brendon and Jereld, who are members of Soundcard, discovered their mutual love for music making and came together to form The Façade in 2011 after a spontaneous suggestion by Brendon.

"The Façade started as an acoustic duo, with me playing the rhythmic guitar parts and Jereld taking the lead guitar parts" Brendon shared. The newly formed duo sang covers of pop and R&B songs and their persistence led them to NYP Jam! 2012 where they tasted sweet success when they won the NYP category. Winning NYP Jam! 2012 also gave them national exposure when they performed in-studio after an interview on FM98.7 with DJ Divian Nair. How lucky!

When I spoke to Jereld and Brendon, they said that having a CCA in NYP is an essential part of the whole polytechnic experience.

The vibrant CCA and arts scene in NYP promotes creativity with a love for the community and gives students the platform to shine.  They explained, "NYP's CCAs are connected like a huge and warm family. We form strong bonds with new friends from other CCAs through inter-CCA exchanges and camps. Thanks to Soundcard, our three years in poly was all the more enriching and exciting!"

I strongly agree with that view. I believe that it is the social interactions in school that let us make new friends, discover our talents and create a school culture that we can truly call our own. In these past 8 months, I made many wonderful friends that I would keep for the rest of my life. Being a writer for Discover NYP gave me a chance to work with many talented people and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything else.
As Brendon puts it, “If you want to have a fun Poly life, NYP’s the choice!”

I am now an ardent fan of The Façade and I am sure you will be too when you see them for yourself. The Façade is currently working on original compositions and we may be able to see them play under the music group, Timber.Org soon. For now, you can find them as TheFacadeSG on YouTube.

Catch The Façade at NYP Jam! 2013, on 4 Jan at the NYP Atrium.

NYP JAM! IS BACK
If you love to sing and want a shot at stardom like The Façade, sign up for NYP Jam! 2013 now. You could be the next NYP Jam! Champion! For more information and to register, visit www.nyp.edu.sg/nypjam2013.

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Kelly is a first year student, pursing an Advanced Diploma in Nursing (Midwifery), who loves reading and cooking. She also likes to spend time with her friends, engaging in relaxing activities. Her friends describe her as unpredictable, spontaneous and inquisitive.

Money Matters: ‘Budgeting’ in Personal Finance

Money Matters is a short series of articles written by Ho Khin Wai, a Diploma in Banking and Financial Services student, in an effort to raise the level of financial literacy among NYP students. He will cover various relevant topics on personal finance for teenagers in Singapore, and strives to make these articles fun and easy to understand.

The first thing about personal finance and financial planning that comes to many people’s minds is “Budgeting”. Most people, including myself, are not exactly very excited by this word. Most of us find it a chore to keep a personal budget. Even if you do have one, sticking to a budget is a problem. And this may have caused us to dismiss the whole idea of budgeting. However, having a personal budget is important. It allows you to plan your spending and ensures that you are using your money wisely.

Today’s article does not teach you how to create a budget, because you can find lots of those guides on Google. This article will, however, show you how to keep a budget (hopefully for the rest of your life).

Don’t sweat the small stuff

Budgets are great for allocating our money for different purposes. However, some people take budgeting too zealously. That is, they jot down all the categories of items they want to reduce spending on and force themselves to strictly stick to the plan. This takes the joy out of having a budget and many will soon give up on it totally.

Instead of being so detailed and meticulous, what you can do is to broadly identify a few categories of items you think you should cut down buying and concentrate on that. This will serve as a good guide in your budgeting.  Moreover, it is wise to keep a small allowance to cover up for any unplanned expenses. By not stressing yourself out on the small details of budgeting, you may find your budget becoming easier to manage and maintain.

The “fun” expense

What’s good about having a budget when it ties you down? The purpose of a budget is not to stop every bad expense from being incurred, but to limit them so you have the “extra money” to be channeled into more important expenses.

Editor Ryan Ong from www.moneysmart.sg said, “You are not a machine. You need to have fun. And a common error is to leave no room in the budget for entertainment. It makes sense to regulate entertainment costs... But don’t try to cut out entertainment altogether”.

The Card Crunch

Without restraint and consciousness in your spending, a detailed budget is NOT going to help you rein in your finances. One way to be disciplined is to limit your card usage. By that, I mean your credit card, debit card, cash card and even your ATM card. When making a purchase, always try to use cash if possible. Why? First, cards will always give you the impression that you have loads of unused cash waiting to be spent.

The idea here is because you do not “see” cash, you are not able to fully realise that your money is going out until you get the emotional disappointment when you look at your bank statement. Secondly, with cash, you are less likely to carry so much money around in your wallet. You will most probably be insecure and uneasy if you leave home with a wallet with a stash of fifty-dollar notes, right? With cash, you will also be more conscious of your spending and will be mindful of expenditures that need to be cut down as written down in your budget plan.

Reviewing your budget

At the end of the month, find out if you managed to meet your goals and limits and highlight the items that you have overspent or underspent, and by how much. Do not be afraid to make certain changes to your budget so that it is more realistic and manageable. Remember, take baby steps. If you overspend this month, do not beat yourself up because of this. People make mistakes, accept your failures and tell yourself to be more disciplined next month.

Photo Credits: Tax Credits, ToniVC

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	Khin Wai is an NYP Year 2 Banking and Financial Services student from School of Business Management (SBM). He started writing for NYP Portal in 2011 out of interest and was soon "addicted" to it. He has also written book reviews for Straits Times YA Classified. Besides writing, he loves singing and has performed for various events in NYP under NYP Soundcard

Money Matters: Insurance for YOUths

Money Matters is a short series of articles written by Ho Khin Wai, a Diploma in Banking and Financial Services student, in an effort to raise the level of financial literacy among NYP students. He will cover various relevant topics on personal finance for teenagers in Singapore, and strives to make these articles fun and easy to understand.

The world of insurance is unbelievably confusing. It doesn’t help that it is also an aggressively marketed industry, does it?

You probably know a thing or two about insurance so I won’t delve into the boring definitions of insurance. What I would like to highlight today is what kind of insurance, you, as a tertiary student/young adult will probably need.

However, don’t take my advice wholesale. Just like scrutinizing a policy recommendation by an insurer, I strongly encourage you to critically think about the types of policy covers mentioned here and what you really need. Different people have different needs. Think of the different plans offered by the insurance companies and get the best deal for your dollar.

Term Life and Whole Life/Universal Life Insurance

Mr Tan Kin Lian said this in his blog, and I agree to this opinion: “Life insurance is needed when a person has financial commitments, e.g. a family with dependent children, and needs to provide for their financial security in the event of premature death. A young person who is not yet married does not have this commitment. The priority is to accumulate and invest savings that may be needed in the future.”

Students like us may not need life insurance yet. This policy however, is a must-have for people who are married and have children of their own. However, if you still feel better getting one, read on.

The deliberative question is: Term Life or Whole Life? A Term Life cover is an insurance cover for only a specific period of time (e.g. 30 years), whereas a Whole Life cover covers you for your entire life. However, that means paying high premiums (monthly payments) your whole life as well.

There are advantages to consider for both types of insurance.

My personal preference is Term Life cover. A great American personal finance guru, Suze Orman, had advised that with term insurance, you can get the highest protection paying much lower premiums than if you were to get Whole Life Insurance.  If you opt for Term Life, it would be ideal to choose one with a longer protection period, and one which guarantees you renewal regardless of your health conditions.  You should also opt for one which offers protection over critical illnesses.  We may be young and fit now, but as we grow older, more illnesses may strike us, including critical illnesses. So it is wise to take up a policy which covers you for such situations.

If you opt for Term Life cover, you can even channel the funds you saved from the lower premiums to other investments with higher returns such as real estate, stocks, and bonds. However, do so only if you are financially savvy and have a sound understanding of investment.

What about Whole Life Insurance? For young people who are generally healthy, Whole Life Insurance may also be attractive because of its relatively low premiums. This type of insurance is useful for young people who do not have much financial knowledge but want a fuss-free way of having insurance coverage with a savings element. Remember that if you opt for this type of insurance, it is better to try to attain coverage for critical illnesses.

To sum up, do get an understanding of your risk profile, protection needs and your ability to manage your investments before determining which type of insurance to go for.

Health/Medical Insurance

Students like us are bound by the constant pressure to excel in our studies. Sometimes, we neglect our health and fall sick. As you know, the cost of healthcare is still rising although the Government is trying to keep healthcare affordable. What happens if you get really sick and require medical examinations, and have to undergo surgery or even be warded in the hospital?

The financial burden is on your parents. Yes, they can pay your medical bills using their own Medisave or Medishield, but what if they have used most of the money in these schemes for their own previous illnesses? Or, they might need this amount as protection against any future illness.

Health insurance comes in as a financial lifesaver in these difficult situations. The policy covers most if not all of your hospitalisation expenses, as well as surgeries, lab tests and certain outpatient treatments.

Health insurance is relatively cheap between the ages of 17 to 29, where premiums linger a bit over $100 per year. You may ask your parents to effect a health insurance on you, so that they pay for the premiums (usually through Medisave, so no out-of-pocket cash is needed) but you enjoy the benefits when needed.

Moreover, I would recommend adding a rider that covers you for deductibles and co-insurance. These are additional costs that you have to pay by yourself before the insurance company pays for the bills, and they usually are in a few thousand, depending on how large your bill is. Hence, get the rider if possible.

Personal Accident Insurance

Life is full of twists and turns. Accidents can happen at any time, anywhere and to anyone. As teenagers, we need to protect ourselves financially as this is the time when we are most active, and most prone to accidents, big or small.

Even a small elbow joint dislocation during a basketball match may bring about quite a large medical bill. A personal accident policy can help ease some of the financial burden of paying those bills. The best thing is that personal accident policies are very affordable.

A personal accident insurance complements both your life policy and health policy. It covers you for disability, injury or death due to accidents, and may include accidental medical reimbursement and A&E charges, which a life policy may not cover. Moreover, a personal accident policy usually pays out as a lump sum, while health policies only cover the actual cost of treatment.

Educational institutions such as NYP automatically insure all students for personal accidents under the Group Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (GPAI). You can find out more about the coverage here. As you enter the working world, there are also similar policies for employees which you can take advantage of.

Of course, there are other types of insurance such as auto (car) insurance that may be applicable to students who are drivers, or professional indemnity insurance for students going on to work as a doctor, nurse, or any other specialisation.

In essence, you should not have to pay a hefty price for protection. Paying a thousand or more in premiums does not make financial sense to me. So before you fill in the application form at an insurance roadshow promising to offer you a free umbrella or other goodies, be sure to do adequate homework and pick out what is really essential.

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	Khin Wai is an NYP Year 2 Banking and Financial Services student from School of Business Management (SBM). He started writing for NYP Portal in 2011 out of interest and was soon "addicted" to it. He has also written book reviews for Straits Times YA Classified. Besides writing, he loves singing and has performed for various events in NYP under NYP Soundcard

NYP's F1 Racers

While the F1 drivers vied for the title at the 2012 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix, a group of Media Studies & Management students raced against time to produce a series of videos for the celebrated event.

By Siti Bazilah, Year 3, Diploma in Media Studies & Management

I don’t know much about Formula 1 (F1) cars, but I know of many men behind the wheels who love speed and the adrenaline rush that comes with it.

Alonso, Schumacher, Vettel; just to name a few.

Out of the bunch, I’ve dreamt for a ride in Hamilton’s McLaren, or at least for him to flash me his signature toothy grin.

That dream came true (partly) when I found myself at the heart of this year’s Grand Prix.

With three other classmates – Muhammad Dzar Hanafi, Elizabeth Boon and Liau Jian Hao and lecturer Azhar Abdul-Salam – our team raced against time to produce a series of videos for Singapore Grand Prix in a span of four days.


The show must go on, be it rain or shine

Under the blistering sun, we covered every inch of the 5.1 km circuit to capture priceless footage unfolding before their very eyes. Our skins were burnt and our throat often pleaded for water, but that didn’t stop the cameras from rolling.

Even when the clouds tore open and poured with rain, Dzar and Jian Hao, who were the primary cameramen, soldiered on.

The race must go on, so they say.

Off the tracks, Elizabeth and I pieced the footages together using the Final Cut Pro software.

As we kept ourselves busy editing the video in a room under The Float @ Marina Bay, minutes quickly turned into hours.

We soon became engrossed in what we do and even lost track of time.

Only the occasional piercing sounds of the cars racing by the floating platform reminded us of where we were.

All play and no work makes Jack a dull boy

Each of us worked hard, but we loved what we were doing and basked in the glory of the moment.

There was an expectation to produce a well-composed video, but the pressure wasn’t distressing because Mr Azhar was always there to guide us when we stumbled upon bumps on the road.

Even when we played hard at Maroon 5’s concert held in conjunction with the Singapore Grand Prix event, he was there singing with us. And boy, was I surprised that he knew the lyrics of the songs!

Without Mr Azhar and the support of my other lecturers, we wouldn’t have had the chance to be a part of the celebrated F1 race.

Seeing the F1 cars flashing inches from us, interviewing and high-fiving the F1 racers, and the opportunity of being a Race Official itself was heart thumping and sweetly exhilarating.

For a long time, the unique experience will be wheeling around in the back of our minds.

I’ve also learnt a thing or two about F1 cars – I won’t be getting a ride in Hamilton’s McLaren, until they build a passenger seat.

Dead Mine Review

By Nur Mirrah Amit, Year 2, Diploma in Mass Media Management

(Courtesy of HBO and Infinite Studios)

“The legend of Yamashita's Gold lures a treasure hunter and his group deep into the Indonesian jungle. Once they are trapped in an abandoned World War II Japanese bunker, they face the terrifying reality that the only way out is to go further in.”

Yay for me, I scored a pair of passes to the Singapore’s gala premiere of Dead Mine a few days back! I shared the theatre with the production team of the movie for the entire one and half hours, and even got to unknowingly rub shoulders with the cast of the movie

Aside from the fact that they had an attractive cast, Dead Mine was actually the first full-length feature film produced by HBO Asia. Believe it or not, the entire film was shot over 28 days in one of Singapore’s neighbouring islands, Batam, Indonesia. From watching the rather well done trailer, I was thrown completely off guard considering that it was actually of Hollywood-produced quality. Who would’ve known that was possible with a production team and cast coming from within this region? Never underestimate the talents of the locals – lesson learned!


What I loved about the movie:

It is of quality, in every way possible.  It was incredibly fun to watch and because it is a horror-action thriller, the suspense of what was going to happen next keeps you at the edge of your seat. Plus, the plot line was extremely easy to follow. If you have the basic knowledge of World War II,such as when it started, and who were the allies and enemy, you would be able to grasp the main idea of the movie. Even my mother who isn’t a fan of WWII history could understand it. Kudos to the make-up and set design department too, they nailed it!

What I don’t really like about the movie:

It was full-on gore. That’s why it was rated NC16, perhaps. They had scenes that showed the insides of the human body – intestines out and blood everywhere. I shuddered behind covered eyes while discreetly sneaking peeks once in a while. The movie included the immortal “Imperial Guards” as well, who were ruthless killers. For a while, I found myself unable to sleep soundly at night, constantly imagining Imperial Guards about to open the door to my room and kill me in my sleep. But then again, to each his own!

Rating: 3 out of 5 popcorns

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Mirrah is a Year 2 Mass Media Management student who, as her mother had reiterated, “reads all the time!” She consumes as many as three books a day in her spare time, and enjoys classics and romance novels by authors such as Mari Mancusi, CS Lewis, and Sophie Kinsella. She aspires to write for political science magazines like Time and Newsweek in the future, and also has an interest in fashion writing.