15 Great Films from Singapore

11. I Not Stupid (2002, dir. Jack Neo)

Jack Neo makes a third appearance on the list with a social commentary on yet another facet of life in Singapore. No doubt masked under the guise of a slapstick comedy peppered with his signature toolkit of no-brainer gags and memorable characters. 

The opening shot starts off with narration by Terry Khoo, a chubby kid navigating school life while being in the most academically challenged class. Terry and his friends endure a series of comical misadventures to prove to the world that ‘I Not Stupid'. 

Neo skirts with danger and manages to squeeze in criticizing the ruthless education system, blind obedience to the government, and hardships faced by underprivileged families. All without getting his fifth film banned by the media authorities.

12. Singapore Dreaming (2006, dir. Colin Goh, Y. Y. Woo)

Yet another moralistic tale about the experience of a modern Singaporean family, complete with their desires, aspirations, and ambitions. You can see how the best films that come from the sunny Island-nation always take a self-indulgent approach to their narrative that resonates well with the local audience.

In this light-hearted example, the Loh family find themselves overcoming a series of conundrums affecting each member of the household, young and old. As they steer through their sea of troubles, the family navigates what it takes to attain the Singaporean Dream.

13. To Singapore, With Love (2013, dir. Tan P. P.)

The only film on the list that is currently banned in Singapore.

Tan Pin Pin's risqué tell-all documentary is essentially a series of interviews with nine elderly political exiles of the nation who have since fled the country. The Media Authority of Singapore deemed this to be “undermining national security” and Not Allowed for All Ratings. With this caveat in mind, it easily piques your interest to find out exactly what trials and tribulations the opponents of the clean and green city faced. And why they chose to flee the country.

Taken with a pinch of salt, this fascinating eye-opener offers a polarizing view of what ‘Majulah Singapura' truly means.

14. Ah Boys 2 Men Series (2012-2022, dir. Jack Neo)

Perhaps the most famous film series in Singapore history. Jack Neo's anthology of four films and one spin-off, ‘Ah Girls Go Army' (although the less we talk about this one the better), took the nation by storm over the past decade. It has also made its cast, household names, including Joshua Tan, Tosh Zhang, and Noah Yap.

In his most successful outing yet, Jack pokes fun at the relatable (among the male population) subject of the mandatory 2-year National Service. The director's comprehensive love letter to his nation is an all-encompassing look at the military, explored in a humorous light.

The story revolves around a group of youngsters enlisting in the army and follows the antics that they get up to, in a hilarious crowd-pleaser that not only makes you laugh but also dispenses values of sacrifice, love and patriotism.

15. Pop Aye (2017, dir. Kirsten Tan)

The film that bookends this list is the indie debut of Kirsten Tan that won the special jury prize at the Sundance Film festival. ‘Pop Aye' plays out like a road trip movie where we see a dissatisfied Thai architect cruise through his mundane life in metropolitan Bangkok without an end in sight. Everything changes when the man serendipitously encounters an elephant in the street. 

Bizarrely, the elephant, Pop Aye, turns out to be the same animal from the men's growing years. A period when he lived an entirely different life, growing up in a rural village. What follows is the most interesting buddy film on this side of the western hemisphere- with the architect bringing Pop Aye back to his childhood village. 

Positively pleasing and a breath of fresh air, this Singaporean-Thai charmer examines loss, regret, and the halcyon days of simpler times past.