Happy Merdeka month Malaysians! A month of pride for many Malaysians, we look forward each year to celebrate the love for our beloved multicultural nation – a melting pot of cultures, customs and languages. While we all speak a little differently, one of the things that bonds us together like our love for food is our proficiency in Bahasa Rojak.
As Malaysia is set to celebrate its 63rd Merdeka (although things could look a little different this year), what better way is there to celebrate than by watching some of the best Malaysian series and movies available on the service.
Find our favourite picks below:
1. “Kopitiam”
Our very own Malaysian version of “Friends”. Join Joanna Bessey and Douglas Lim and binge watch seven seasons worth of humor and friendship in this Malaysian comedy series. Btw, if you didn’t already know, Douglas has a skit on answering your top questions about Netflix including how to request shows that you want here.
The show is about Marie (Joanna), who returns home to Malaysia after inheriting her father’s coffee shop. Don’t worry kids after the 90s era, you can still catch the best Malaysian comedy series on Netflix now and update your rojak language.
2. “Fly By Night”
Four cab drivers band together to take down a corrupt cop and a ruthless mobster when their extortion racket spirals out of control. Catch this blood-streaked crime thriller set against the night lights of our very own Kuala Lumpur. Setting a new benchmark for Malaysian films, this entertaining movie even features Malaysian Film Festival winner, Bront Palarae.
3. “Sangkar”
The first Malaysian MMA mixed martial arts film, “Sangkar” tells a thrilling story of rivalry and redemption between two local MMA fighters, as they go from enemies to friends while fighting for glory and family.
The expectations were high for this movie and it definitely delivered, especially with Zul Ariffin and Remy Ishak portraying the best out of their characters. While friendship is the main theme in this film, redemption and resilience are also a running theme that is relatable to all. As Adam (Zul) says and we should all hear him out, “kalau kau tak pandai kau kena kuat, kalau kau tak kuat, kau kena pandai.”
4. “The Ghost Bride”
A murder mystery guided by ancient traditional mythology. Okay if that line doesn’t get you to watch the movie, then we can’t help you, sorry! The mini series is set in 1980s Malacca and tells the story of Li Lan who finds herself roaming the underworld after she becomes the ghost bride of the sinister Tian Ching – the deceased son of a wealthy family.
If you didn’t know, this series is an adaptation of a novel by the New York Times bestseller and Malaysian author, Yangsze Choo (come on, can we be more prouder?). You’ll see a peek of how multilingual Malaysians are when you hear the gelang sipaku gelang tune!
Don’t worry if you’ve never seen any of these titles before because Netflix gives you the chance to watch them as many times you please. This Merdeka, be a bit patriotic and go watch our local shows can ah?
Must #sapotlokal bro, now streaming on Netflix.
