The 90s saw a cultural revival for Singaporean cinema, with some of the most beloved Singaporean films on-screen made during this decade. Hop on the Comfort DeLorean Taxi as we take a ride in the way back machine and revisit these five iconic Singaporean movies released in the 90s.
Army Daze (1996)
Before Ah Boys To Men and it’s ascension to Singapore’s version of the Fast & Furious franchise with its multiple sequels, there was Army Daze. Army Daze brings together a motley crew of six teenagers enlisting for National Service, and the comedy that ensues is timeless. In fact, one could argue that the 1996 film (directed by Ong Keng Sen), an adaptation of Michael Chiang’s 1987 hit play, makes a far better showcase of Singapore’s racial and ethnic diversity than its contemporary counterpart.
Humorous throughout and heartfelt in parts, Army Daze is both a snapshot of a moment in time and a reminder of the cultural ties that bind.
The Teenage Textbook (1998)
Adrian Tan’s back-to-back publications of The Teenage Textbook and its sequel The Teenage Workbook in the late 80s took the nation by the storm, emerging as best-sellers and instant classics for Gen Xers.
The 1998 film adaptation (directed by Philip Lim) was backed by a phenomenal soundtrack by John Klass, and saw Melody Chen and Caleb Goh having star turns as the romantic leads Mui Ee and Chung Kai. The two played teenagers figuring out life and love at the fictitious Paya Lebar Junior College with a blithe innocence that feels relatable even today.
Watch The Teenage Textbook on Netflix.
Money No Enough (1998)
Whatever you think of Jack Neo’s directorial sensibilities and his oft-derided blatant product placements, it’s hard to deny his success in creating films that both speak to and resonate with the working class. For this satirical commentary on consumerist SIngaporean culture, Neo brought along his collaborators Mark Lee and Henry Thia from his hit variety show 搞笑行动 to the big screen, and it was a raging success, grossing over $5 million dollars.
His writing and acting credits for Money No Enough (directed by Tay Teck Lock) set the stage for an incredibly lucrative run that continues to this day, and this was where it all began.
Watch Money No Enough on Netflix
4.Mee Pok Man
Mee Pok Man caused quite a stir with its R21 rating for its dark, provocative themes at the time of its release in 1995. The titular character is a Mee Pok Man (noodle seller), who pines after a prostitute named Bunny from afar. He then gets his moment with her when she gets into a hit and run accident, and from there their relationship takes an unpredictable, twisted turn – we won’t spoil it for you.
This decidedly dystopian film directed by Eric Khoo may not quite have the easy rewatchability of some of the other movies on this list, but was certainly a cultural landmark in local filmmaking and restored by the Asian Film Archive in 2015.
Watch Mee Pok Man on Netflix.
5. Forever Fever
Forever Fever’s cinematic ambition as a musical comedy can be seen – or rather, heard – in its music, with its accompanying soundtrack featuring hit songs like Staying Alive and How Deep is Your Love. Glen Goei’s theatrical sensibilities brought an infectious joy to the story of Hock (played with delightful glee by Adrian Pang) as he aims to win the prize money of $5,000 at a dance competition- all this to achieve his lifelong dream of owning his own motorcycle.
Forever Fever, released as That’s the Way I Like It, in the US, was the one of the first films to see widespread global distribution under Miramax, with Blumhouse Productions founder and CEO Jason Blum apparently a fan.
Okay so we cheated a little for this list – Forever Fever/That’s The Way I Like It is not available on Netflix, but it is available for rent or purchase on Apple iTunes.
