logo
Malay Mail's Top 10 Picks: ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines' takes the top spot at Malaysian cinemas, pushing past ‘Gayong' and ‘Blood Brothers: Bara Naga'

Malay Mail's Top 10 Picks: ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines' takes the top spot at Malaysian cinemas, pushing past ‘Gayong' and ‘Blood Brothers: Bara Naga'

Malay Mail23-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Now in its sixth instalment, Final Destination: Bloodlines has not only claimed the No. 1 spot at the local box office but is also earning favourable reviews nationwide, with many calling it the best entry in the series.
This slasher flick delivers a horrifying experience you won't want to miss — if you have the stomach for it, of course.
But that's not all — local films are not just showing in cinemas, they are still dominating with titles like Gayong and yes, the action-packed Blood Brothers: Bara Naga continues to draw strong crowds.
Whether you're into hit movies, trending shows, fresh music, or must-read books, Malay Mail has compiled the best of the week to keep you entertained.
Top 10 films in local cinemas (Domestic & International) (May 15 to May 18)
Final Destination Bloodlines Gayong Blood Brothers: Bara Naga Thunderbolts* Devil's Double Next Level A Gilded Game Maaman Until Dawn Tourist Family The Dumpling Queen
Source: Cinema.com and GSC
Top 10 streaming on Netflix and Viu (May 12 to May 18)
Netflix (Top 10 TV)
Tastefully Yours: Limited Series The Haunted Palace: Season 1 Resident Playbook: Limited Series Dear Hongrang: Season 1 Bet: Season 1 American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden: Season 1 The Royals: Season 1 Heavenly Ever After: Limited Series Weak Hero: Class 2 Ms. Rachel: Season 1
Source: Netflix Top 10
Viu (Top 10 shows)
Pabila Dia Tersenyum Sugar Daddy The Haunted Palace Running Man (2025) Bidaah Crushology 101 Pump Up the Healthy Love Undercover High School Only for Love 以爱为营 Twinkling Watermelon
Source: Viu Frontpage
Top 10 songs of the week (Spotify) (May 14 to May 21)
Fourtwnty – Mangu (w/ Charita Utami) Jin – Don't Say You Love Me JENNIE – like JENNIE yung kai – blue Billie Eilish – BIRDS OF A FEATHER sombr – back to friends Billie Eilish – WILDFLOWER Nadeera – Bukan Lagi Kita Lady Gaga – Die With A Smile (w/ Bruno Mars) Nadhif Basalamah – bergema sampai selamanya
Top 10 Malay songs of the week (Spotify) (May 14 to May 21)
Faris Adam – Stecu Stecu Ara Johari – Menjaga Jodoh Orang Lain Nadeera – Bukan Lagi Kita Noh Salleh – Rahsia Tuhan Imran Ajmain – Seribu Tahun Lagi MikkyZia, F4dli – Aku Dah Lupa Nuh – Teruntuk Mia Tenxi – Garam & Madu (Sakit Dadaku) (w/ Jemsi, Naykilla) NAKI, Fahimi – Masa Dayang Nurfaizah, Faizal Tahir, Tuju, Yonnyboii – X Missing U
Source: kworb.net and Spotify Top Songs Malaysia, Spotify Carta Malaysia 50
Top 10 books of the week (May 9 to May 15)
Fiction
King of Envy by Ana Huang (Bloom Books) Library of Lost Hearts by N.F. Afrina (N.F Afrina) The Tenant by Freida McFadden (Poisoned Pen Press) Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa (Harper Perennial) Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press) As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh (Bloomsbury) Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Pan Macmillan) Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (Piatkus) The Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida (Orion) Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum (Bloomsbury)
Non-Fiction
Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson (St. Martin's Essentials) Atomic Habits by James Clear (Penguin Books) Once Upon a Miao 2 (Remastered): Crushes, Friendship & Chaos by Jian Goh (Space Voyager) Once Upon a Miao (Remastered): I Love My Hometown by Jian Goh (Space Voyager) The Not To-Do List by Rolf Dobelli (Atlantic Books ) I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee (Penerbit Haru) A Doctor in the House by Mahathir Mohamad (MPH Publishing) I'm Not Lazy, I'm on Energy Saving Mode by Dancing Snail (apop books) Ikigai by Héctor García & Francesc Miralles (Penguin Life) How Was Your Day by Cheeming Boey (Grey Pigeon)
Mutiara Minda (Malay Novels)
Thariq Ridzuwan Commando's: His Treasure by Hudanajwa (Idea Kreatif) Mi Linda by Hudanajwa (Idea Kreatif) Bukan Cinta Sempurna by Bellesa (Idea Kreatif) Rumah Untuk Alie by Lenn Liu (Media Inspirasi Nusantara Sdn Bhd) Rahsia Danny by Teme Abdullah (Iman Publication) Mi Diosa by Hudanajwa (Idea Kreatif) Tuan Ziyad: Forbidden Love by Bellesa (Idea Kreatif) Mi Veneno 1 by Hudanajwa (Idea Kreatif) Mi Veneno 2 by Hudanajwa (Idea Kreatif) Bayang Sofea by Teme Abdullah (Iman Publication)
Source: MPH

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

We are sorry, prime minister
We are sorry, prime minister

Free Malaysia Today

time7 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

We are sorry, prime minister

PETALING JAYA : The misuse of video outtakes on social media has become a growing concern recently, with netizens editing clips to malign public personalities, distort narratives and mislead audiences. With content zipping around social media almost instantaneously, an innocent moment can be turned into a controversy almost immediately. Unfortunately, FMT found itself a victim of this recently, with our popular Malay news presenter Nur Hailee Izzati unwittingly putting herself in the spotlight. Hailee had on May 30 posted a seemingly harmless outtake of herself laughing as she struggled to begin reading a news item that made mention of the prime minister. Unfortunately, the video clip was misused by a netizen who edited it to include a disparaging caricature of the prime minister, making it appear as though FMT and Hailee were mocking him. As a result, Hailee was forced to issue an apology, which she readily did. Misused video outtakes can cause grave reputational damage which may be hard to undo. The consequences can also be severe, with both FMT and Hailee receiving instant backlash from all corners, bringing harm to the brand and jeopardising careers. Ultimately, media outlets like FMT and journalists like Hailee must exercise care in what they do both in their professional and personal capacities. Meanwhile, netizens, many of whom are now themselves content creators, must do their part by consuming and using content ethically to maintain proper digital discourse. That is a tough ask, and can only be achieved if everyone plays their part. FMT and Hailee regret the manipulation of one of our unused video clips in a way that has brought ridicule to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. We sincerely apologise to him and to all our readers and viewers.

Studio Ghibli marks 40 years, but future looks uncertain
Studio Ghibli marks 40 years, but future looks uncertain

Sinar Daily

time14 hours ago

  • Sinar Daily

Studio Ghibli marks 40 years, but future looks uncertain

TOKYO - Japan's Studio Ghibli turns 40 this month with two Oscars and legions of fans young and old won over by its complex plots and fantastical hand-drawn animation. But the future is uncertain, with latest hit "The Boy and the Heron" likely -- but not certainly -- the final feature from celebrated co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, now 84. The studio behind the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away" has become a cultural phenomenon since Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata established it in 1985. Its popularity has been fuelled of late by a second Academy Award in 2024 for "The Boy and the Heron", starring Robert Pattinson, and by Netflix streaming Ghibli movies around the world. In March, the internet was flooded with pictures in its distinctively nostalgic style after the release of OpenAI's newest image generator -- raising questions over copyright. The newly opened Ghibli Park has also become a major tourist draw for central Japan's Aichi region. Julia Santilli, a 26-year-old from Britain living in northern Japan, "fell in love with Ghibli" after watching the 2001 classic "Spirited Away" as a child. "I started collecting all the DVDs," she told AFP. Ghibli stories are "very engaging and the artwork is stunning", said another fan, Margot Divall, 26. "I probably watch 'Spirited Away' about 10 times a year still." This file photo taken on July 13, 2015 shows Oscar-winning Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki taking part in a press conference in Tokyo. - (Photo by YOSHIKAZU TSUNO / AFP) - 'Whiff of death' - Before Ghibli, most cartoons in Japan -- known as anime -- were made for children. But Miyazaki and Takahata, both from "the generation that knew war", included darker elements that appeal to adults, Miyazaki's son Goro told AFP. "It's not all sweet -- there's also a bitterness and things like that which are beautifully intertwined in the work," he said, describing a "whiff of death" in the films. For younger people who grew up in peacetime, "it is impossible to create something with the same sense, approach and attitude", Goro said. Even "My Neighbor Totoro", with its cuddly forest creatures, is in some ways a "scary" movie that explores the fear of losing a sick mother, he explained. Susan Napier, a professor at Tufts University in the United States and author of "Miyazakiworld: A Life in Art", agrees. "In Ghibli, you have ambiguity, complexity and also a willingness to see that the darkness and light often go together" unlike good-versus-evil US cartoons, she said. The post-apocalyptic "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" -- considered the first Ghibli film despite its release in 1984 -- has no obvious villain, for example. The movie featuring an independent princess curious about giant insects and a poisonous forest felt "so fresh" and a change from "a passive woman... having to be rescued", Napier said. - Natural world - Studio Ghibli films also depict a universe where humans connect deeply with nature and the spirit world. A case in point was 1997's "Princess Mononoke", distributed internationally by Disney. The tale of a girl raised by a wolf goddess in a forest threatened by humans is "a masterpiece -- but a hard movie", Napier said. It's a "serious, dark and violent" film appreciated more by adults, which "was not what US audiences had anticipated with a movie about a princess". Ghibli films "have an environmentalist and animistic side, which I think is very appropriate for the contemporary world with climate change", she added. Miyuki Yonemura, a professor at Japan's Senshu University who studies cultural theories on animation, said watching Ghibli movies is like reading literature. "That's why some children watch Totoro 40 times," she said, adding that audiences "discover something new every time". - French connection - Miyazaki and Takahata -- who died in 2018 -- could create imaginative worlds because of their openness to other cultures, Yonemura said. Foreign influences included writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery and animator Paul Grimault, both French, and Canadian artist Frederic Back, who won an Oscar for his animation "The Man Who Planted Trees". Takahata studying French literature at university "was a big factor", Yonemura said. "Both Miyazaki and Takahata read a lot," she said. "That's a big reason why they excel at writing scripts and creating stories." Miyazaki has said he was inspired by several books for "Nausicaa", including the 12th-century Japanese tale "The Lady who Loved Insects", and Greek mythology. Studio Ghibli will not be the same after Miyazaki stops creating animation, "unless similar talent emerges", Yonemura said. Miyazaki is "a fantastic artist with such a visual imagination" while both he and Takahata were "politically progressive", Napier said. "The more I study, the more I realise this was a unique cultural moment," she said. "It's so widely loved that I think it will carry on," said Ghibli fan Divall. "As long as it doesn't lose its beauty, as long as it carries on the amount of effort, care and love," she said. - Natsuko Fukue / AFP

‘Gaana King' Deva returns to Malaysia with landmark Johor concert this August, Singapore fans thrilled
‘Gaana King' Deva returns to Malaysia with landmark Johor concert this August, Singapore fans thrilled

Malay Mail

time18 hours ago

  • Malay Mail

‘Gaana King' Deva returns to Malaysia with landmark Johor concert this August, Singapore fans thrilled

JOHOR BARU, June 6 — Tamil music legend Thenisai Thendral Deva, widely known as the Gaana King, is set to make his first-ever concert appearance in Johor with a mega show on August 9 this year. Presented by SPPS Production in collaboration with iGP Production, the concert will take place at Educity Sports Complex, Iskandar Puteri, Johor, promising an unforgettable night filled with Deva's signature hits and a star-studded lineup of celebrated singers. Deva, a celebrated composer from the 1990s Tamil cinema scene, is known for popularising the gaana genre with chart-topping, evergreen songs that have become a soundtrack to multiple generations. His legacy remains strong among fans who grew up with his infectious melodies. Joining him on stage will be renowned singers Mano, Anuradha Sriram, Sabesh-Murali, Srikanth Deva, and popular Super Singer talents Ajay Krishna and Priyanka. Together, they will bring to life the vibrant energy of Deva's iconic tunes. Tickets go on sale from June 3, with early bird prices starting at RM91.80. — Picture via SPPS Production SPPS Production and iGP Production, both based in Johor Bahru, are the organisers behind this highly anticipated concert. As new and dynamic production houses, they are driven by a deep passion for delivering high-quality entertainment experiences. Committed to raising the standard of live events in Malaysia, the teams aim to create memorable moments that resonate with audiences across all generations. The organisers expressed their excitement about bringing this grand celebration of music to Johor for the first time, describing the concert as 'more than just a launch,' and calling it 'a significant step toward reshaping the live entertainment experience' in the region. The timing is also special, with the concert scheduled on August 9, coinciding with Singapore's National Day, offering a unique experience for audiences from both Malaysia and Singapore. Tickets go on sale from June 3, with early bird prices starting at RM91.80. Fans are encouraged not to miss this landmark event celebrating Thenisai Thendral Deva's remarkable contributions to Tamil music. For tickets, visit

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store