The best new movies in Singapore to catch

In cinemas January 13

One of horror's most frightening and celebrated franchises is getting something of a reboot. Scream (2022) picks up 25 years after the events of Scream (1996) to bring new thrills and spills to the big screen. This time, the quiet town of Woodsboro is being shaken up once again by a new killer – and the teenaged victims are related to the original cast of characters played by Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox. Expect old town secrets to be revealed, and for a chilling new Ghostface. To refresh your memory before catching Scream (2022), don't forget to catch up on the first four movies available for sale or rent on streaming sites like Amazon Prime, Google Play and Apple TV.

At The Projector January 14

Part of Singapore Art Week's (SAW) showcase of Indonesian director Kamila Andini, Yuni is a touching coming-of-age tale centred on a bright and ambitious girl living in rural Indonesia. 16-year-old Yuni is expected to get married, but has bigger dreams of pursuing college and leaving behind her dead-end town. Pressures mount as marriage proposals start to come in – shedding light on the difficulties that many Indonesian women face in terms of arranged marriages, access to further education and the lack of sexual education. This striking film was the Platform Prize Winner at the Toronto International Film Festival 2021, and will only have two screenings as part of SAW. 

In cinemas January 20

Set in 1970s southern California, Licorice Pizza by American director Paul Thomas Anderson plays out like a sun-drenched fever dream. The romantic comedy follows 15-year-old high schooler Gary who falls in love with an older woman, Alana, who claims she's 25. What follows is a freewheeling flirtation that takes the duo on adventures around the San Fernando Valley. Anderson's solid filmmaking transforms what could be a meandering and mundance romance into a surprisingly poignant and nostalgic piece.                      

In cinemas February 1

This Lunar New Year, head to the cinemas for an easy and light-hearted movie-going experience with Jack Neo's Ah Girls Go Army. The movie reimagines a Singapore where there are not enough boys, forcing a draft of girls into the army. Catch the tears, friendships and shenanigans as a bunch of Gen Z teen girls undergo training under the tough leadership of Sergeant Chow and Liutenant Roxanne – and how their trials in the army help them discover their potential and resolve issues in their personal lives. 

In cinemas February 3

There's something to be said about watching a bunch of grown men be total jackasses on camera. Jackass Forever is a reality comedy movie that's dangerous, absurd and hilarious – you'll cringe and laugh as the cast shoot themselves out of cannons, take on snakes, punch each other in the nuts, get other unsuspecting victims in the nuts, and much more. It's not a movie for everybody, but fans of the Jackass series will find much to love in this latest installment. 

In cinemas February 10

Adapted from Agatha Christie's travel mystery of the same name, Death on the Nile begins with an idyllic cruise that turns into a nightmare when the young and beautiful heiress Linnet Ridgeway is mysteriously shot and killed on her honeymoon getaway. Enter Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot, who takes on the task of sussing out the murderer aboard the glamourous river steamer. Kenneth Branagh is both director and main actor, alongside stars like Gal Gadot, Tom Bateman, Emma Mackey, Letitia Wright and Russell Brand. 

In cinemas February 10

A textbook musical romcom that's sure to deliver on those warm, cheesy feels anyway – Marry Me centers on pop superstar Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) who's about to get married to her fiancé in front of an audience of loyal fans. Turns out he's been cheating on her, a fact she finds out right before the ceremony. Things get loopy when she instead proposes to a recently-divorced math teacher holding a 'marry me' sign in the crowd. Are you surprised that he says yes? Will the unlikely newlyweds fall in love and get their happily every after? 

In cinemas February 10

Princess Diana is one of the most recognised and celebrated figures in modern history – which only amps up the pressure on biopics like Spencer. Actress Kristen Stewart takes on the monumental task of portraying this beloved and tragic figure, playing a Diana trapped in a decaying marriage, on the verge of breakdown, and forced to play nice throughout the royal family's Christmas festivities. By all accounts, Stewart is a revelation in the role, bringing the looks, mannerisms and submerged anguish of Princess Diana to life. 

In cinemas February 17

Tom Holland trades his Spidey suit for a well-fitted Henley and cargo pants in the action-adventure film Uncharted. Playing Nathan Drake, he and his mentor Victor "Sully" Sullivan go on a quest to find "the greatest treasure never found" while picking up clues to Drake's long-lost brother on the way. Based on a video game of the same name, Uncharted will further test Holland's action chops with loads of death- (and physics) defying action sequences. 

At The Projector February 24

The finale in Joachim Trier's “Oslo Trilogy”, this Norwegian film is billed as a dark romantic comedy-drama about a young woman named Julie who is floundering in love and life due to her indecisiveness. Set in Oslo, this film follows four years of her life as she learns bittersweet lessons on the road to self-discovery. For her striking portrayal of a woman in an existential crisis, actress Renate Reinsve picked up the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival 2021.