7 Malaysian Movies To Catch On Netflix This Month

We totally understand if you’ve decided to spend this Thursday’s public holiday at home to avoid the crowd, because with the Covid-19 virus still going strong, even we would prefer to be safe than sorry. But staying at home doesn’t mean that you’ll have to forget about celebrating the spirit of Malaysia Day, as Netflix releases a long list of shows that’ll evoke the ‘semangat anak Malaysia’ feeling in all of us again!

The Rekaan Rakyat collection by Netflix is a curated series of authentic and compelling Malaysian stories that anyone can enjoy anywhere in the world. Featuring more than 50 Malaysian films, series and animated series, the shows will be rolled out throughout September and October. If anything, these shows make an interesting watch as we get to see how our well-known local artists started off in the industry and how far they’ve come today.

1. Bikers Kental 2

Directed by Helmi Yusof and released in 2019, this hour-plus long comedy film is the sequel to Bikers Kental that was released in 2013, where we saw how Bidin Al Zaifa, who’s a lover of racing bikes but is unable to afford one, finds a bag filled with money. Without hesitation, he buys the bike of his dreams and goes on an adventure to Krabi. But the journey turns out to be an unpleasant one filled with many conflicts along the way. In Bikers Kental 2, however, Bidin levels up and is now the proud owner of a motorcycle shop. Again, he sets off on a trip to Thailand where he intends to propose to Cherry, with whom he’s in love. Unfortunately, her brother and Bidin’s former gang of enemies are in the way. Bikers Kental 2 stars Zizan Razak, Afdlin Shauki, Amerul Affendi and Awie.

2. Cinta

There are many forms of love in life, and Cinta is a movie that reminds us how to embrace the different relationships that we have. Released in 2006, Cinta was directed by Kabir Bhatia and won four awards at the 20th Malaysian Film Festival in 2007. Starring homegrown stars such as Sharifah Amani, Eizlan Yusof, Fatimah Abu Bakar, Fasha Sandha and Rahim Razali, the movie revolves around the lives of three couples who go through many heartbreaks before finding their better halves. Along the way and during all the troubles that they go through, the love of those around them – especially family members and friends – prevails.

3. Dubai My Love

Imagine being stood up on your wedding day by the love of your life. If anything, it’d most likely be the most embarrassing and terrible day of your life which you’ll never want to remember at all! In this telemovie that was released in 2017, Amar gets stood up on his wedding day by his fiancé. A no-show simply means that she wasn’t interested in him, and as a result, he decides to move to Dubai to start a new life. After being there for five years, he puts his past behind and starts to develop feelings for a woman. However, someone else who's the relative of his ex-fiancé has shown up to reveal her side of the story. The question now is, who will Amar choose to be his bride? Dubai My Love stars Ben Ali, Erwin Dawson, Hanna Aqeela and Tengku Putri Najuwa.

4. Senario XX

For many of us, Senario brings back loads of memories as the show was aired weekly on national TV back in the day. Filled with mishaps, coincidences, humour and mischief, it’s a show that we used to look forward to watching for a good laugh, and if you’re looking for something light to watch this coming Malaysia Day, then look no further than here. Released in 2005, Senario XX is the second last sequel after Senario The Movie and Lagi Lagi Senario – all of which are released on Netflix at the same time. Directed by Aziz M. Osman, Senario XX features stars like Azlee Jaafar, Chef Wan, Nur Fazura, Rosyam Nor and Saiful Apek. The storyline revolves around a guy who appears from Mars and is forced to land on Earth, but gets labelled as a ghost by a bomoh who tries to chase him away. However, he ends up falling in love, which is when the fun starts to unveil in the movie!

5. Sepi

In Bahasa Malaysia, the title of this movie means ‘loneliness’ and without a doubt, it’s a feeling that many of us can relate to during this pandemic. Directed by Kabir Bhatia and released in 2008, the actors in this show include Afdlin Shauki, Chelsia Ng, Sazzy Falak, Tony Eusoff and Vanidah Imran. In a nutshell, Sepi revolves arounds the lives of Adam, Imaan and Sufi who are lonely in their own ways, and how, through the twist of faith, they end up meeting people who will bring out the best in them. On one hand, there’s Adam who’s a successful chef but still single, and on the other hand, there’s Sufi who’s still trying to overcome the loss of his wife. At the same time, there’s Imaan, a playwriter who uses the theatre as an avenue to overcome her past traumas and move forward with life.

6. Spanar Jaya X: Season 1

If Phua Chu Kang was one of your favourite shows on NTV7 in the past, then you’d definitely have memories of the Spanar Jaya series that was aired about the same time – except this was produced in a context that’s closer to home. Spanar Jaya X, which was released in 2019 and directed by Ahmad Idham, will debut on Netflix on 30th September 2021. Starring Ben Amir, Douglas Lim, Opie Zami and Sangeeta Krishnasamy, this sitcom reveals how the owner of a workshop struggles to keep the business alive after it was handed down to him. However, he fails miserably as he doesn’t have the experience in running his own business. When the founder of the workshop finds out about this, he agrees to help him out, albeit with some terms and conditions.

7. Susuk

In the mood for a horror film? Here’s one you can look forward to watching! Released in 2008 and having won three awards at the 21st Malaysian Film Festival in that same year, Susuk is a story about two girls, Soraya and Suzana. Soraya, who’s a nurse, is hungry for fame and glamour, and therefore decides to seek help from alternative sources to achieve her dreams. As she begins to enjoy her new life, things eventually start to change. On the other hand, there’s Suzana who has always relied on alternative practices to get to where she is, and who longs for a younger assistant who’ll remind her of younger days. Keep your eyes peeled to find out who ends up becoming Suzana’s assistant and how Soraya will eventually escape the mess that she has created for herself. The cast of this movie includes Diana Rafar, Ida Nerina, Sofea Jane and the late Yasmin Ahmad.

Featured image: Netlix