Best (Forgotten) Picture Starring Singapore:
Hitman: Agent 47
There was plenty of chatter when we heard that Hollywood was coming to town in the form of Hitman: Agent 47. Parts of the latest attempt to cash in on the Hitman franchise were filmed here in 2014. There was considerably less excitement as we watched it sink to an 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and promptly forgot that it ever existed. Still, it was pretty fun to see an action sequence featuring Comfort taxis, SMRT buses and Y-plate heavy goods vehicles on Robinson Road.
Best Singapore Skyline Explosion:
Independence Day: Resurgence
The aliens from Independence Day are coming back to Earth and Singapore is part of the welcoming committee. While we still have to wait until mid-2016 to watch the full movie, we’ve seen all we needed to see in the trailer. Once upon a time, we had to sit idly by as great cities like New York, San Francisco, Tokyo and even Hong Kong were ripped apart by extraterrestrials and giant lizards on the big screen. Thanks to Independence Day: Resurgence, Singapore has joined the big boys of skyline destruction.
Most Delicious Morality-Shattering Picture:
In The Room
2016 is a dangerous time to be alive, what with pop singers attempting to corrupt us with their “pseudo art” and “lifestyle choices” while Eric Khoo writes erotic love letters to Singapore. So be warned, if you watch this film, you might find yourself involuntarily checking into a seedy old hotel for a night that exceeds an R21 rating.
Best Depiction of Singapore:
Ipoh in Long Long Time Ago
A film which captures the trials and tribulations of everyday kampung life in post-independence Singapore, Jack Neo’s Long Long Time Ago is a welcome addition to the wave of nostalgia that the country continues to ride. It’s just kind of a downer that the part of Singapore had to be played by Ipoh.
Bestest Actress Ever:
Jessica Henwick, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
If the Singaporean media finds out about a celebrity with a provable link to our island, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’re going to beat that connection to the ground. One of our latest darlings is Jessica Henwick of Game of Thrones fame whose mother is Singaporean. Her blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role as an X-wing pilot in Star Wars: The Force Awakens was enough to fuel reports detailing her last visit here and her liking for ngoh hiang and sambal stingray.
