KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — Few films scarred childhoods quite like Anaconda when it first slithered onto screens in 1997, unleashing a very real fear of giant snakes on an entire generation.

Its follow-up sequels, however, largely missed the mark — but you can’t deny the original has long cemented its status as a cult classic.

Fast forward to now, and Anaconda is back on the big screen, this time as a self-aware action comedy starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black. Reviews may be mixed, but it still lands as a fun, no-brainer watch for the weekend.

Anaconda (2025) crashes into this week’s local box office at No. 3, while Avatar: Fire and Ash holds firm at No. 2. At the top spot, local animated favourite Papa Zola The Movie refuses to budge as the New Year rolls on.

New year, new watches — from cinemas to streaming platforms, there’s no shortage of fresh content. Netflix finally drops the final episode of Stranger Things 5, Viu revs up with Taxi Driver 3, and Disney+’s Made in Korea continues to pull in viewers.

Add in blockbuster films, binge-worthy series, chart-topping music and must-read books, and your weekend is sorted — with Malay Mail’s Top 10 entertainment picks leading the way.

Top 10 films in local cinemas (Domestic & International) (Dec 25 to 28)

  1. Papa Zola The Movie
  2. Avatar: Fire And Ash
  3. Anaconda
  4. Zootopia 2
  5. White
  6. Duyung: Legenda Aurora
  7. The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants
  8. Crayon Shin-Chan The Movie: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers
  9. Maryam: Janji Dan Jiwa Yang Terikat
  10. The Housemaid

Source: Cinema.com and GSC

Top 10 streaming (Dec 22 to 28)

Netflix (Top 10 TV)

TV Series

  1. Man Vs Baby: Season 1
  2. Cashero: Limited Series
  3. Stranger Things 5
  4. Culinary Class Wars: Season 2
  5. Idol I: 시즌 1
  6. Dynamite Kiss: Limited Series
  7. Emily in Paris: Season 5
  8. BoBoiBoy Galaxy: Baraju: Season 1
  9. The Price of Confession: Season 1
  10. Pro Bono: Limited Series

Source: Netflix Top 10

Viu (Top 10 shows)

  1. Taxi Driver 3
  2. Saat Aku Tahu
  3. Running Man (2025)
  4. Moon River
  5. Taxi Driver 2
  6. Puteri Kelas Atas
  7. Satu, Dua... Dia?
  8. Reply 1988 10th Anniversary
  9. GBRB: Joy Pops Laugh Pops
  10. Love’s Ambition 许我耀眼

Source: Viu Frontpage

Disney+ (Top 10 shows)

  1. Belly Showdown: Season 1
  2. YOO Got A Minute?: Season 1
  3. Chef’s Go-To: Season 1
  4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Season 2
  5. Abbott Elementary: Season 5
  6. Made in Korea: Season 1
  7. The Simpsons: Season 37
  8. I am Boxer: Season 1
  9. Cat’s Eye: Season 1
  10. Cheetahs Up Close with Bertie Gregory

Source: Disney+

Top 10 songs of the week (Spotify) (Dec 24 to 31)

  1. Taylor Swift — The Fate of Ophelia
  2. Idgitaf — Sedia Aku Sebelum Hujan
  3. Silet Open Up — TABOLA BALE (w/ Jacson Seran, Juan Reza, Diva Aurel)
  4. Nadhif Basalamah — bergema sampai selamanya
  5. sombr — back to friends
  6. Alpha — P Ramlee Saloma
  7. Madison Beer — bittersweet
  8. HUNTR/X — Golden (w/ Ejae, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI, KPop Demon Hunters Cast)
  9. Tyla — CHANEL
  10. Akbar Chalay — Ngga Dulu (w/ Zynakal, ciloqciliq)

Top 10 Malay songs of the week (Spotify) (Dec 24 to 31)

  1. Alpha — P Ramlee Saloma
  2. Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, Ade Govinda — Menamakanmu Cinta
  3. Zynakal, Zamir Harith, Mojack Hafiz, Bel Janni — Dalam Diam
  4. Silet Open Up, Jacson Seran, Juan Reza, Diva Aurel — TABOLA BALE
  5. Ara Johari — Menjaga Jodoh Orang Lain
  6. ALYPH — Ingat
  7. NAZU, Fahimi — KOPI
  8. Hael Husaini, Nadeera — Peluk
  9. Idgitaf — Sedia Aku Sebelum Hujan
  10. Tenxi, Suisei, Jemsii — mejikuhibiniu

Source: kworb.net and Spotify 

Top 10 books of the week (Dec 19 to 25)

Fiction

  1. Strange Houses by Uketsu (HarperVia)
  2. Strange Pictures by Uketsu (HarperVia)
  3. Alchemised by SenLinYu (Del Rey)
  4. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (Picador)
  5. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (Bookouture)
  6. Every Day I Read by Hwang Bo-reum (Bloomsbury Publishing)
  7. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic)
  8. As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
  9. Days at the Torunka Cafe by Satoshi Yagisawa (Harper Perennial)
  10. 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell (Signet)

Non-Fiction

  1. Rethinking Ourselves by Anwar Ibrahim (Penguin Books SEA)
  2. Atomic Habits by James Clear (Avery)
  3. Surrounded by Idiots (10th Anniversary Edition) by Thomas Erikson (Vermilion)
  4. It’s Okay Not to Get Along with Everyone by Dancing Snail (‎Blink Publishing)
  5. Once Upon a Miao (Remastered): I Love My Hometown by Jian Goh (Space Voyager Log)
  6. Lillian Too Feng Shui Almanac 2026 by Lillian Too & Jennifer Too (KONSEP LAGENDA)
  7. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins & Sawyer Robbins (Hay House UK Ltd)
  8. Once Upon a Miao 2 (Remastered): Crushes, Friendship & Chaos by Jian Goh (Space Voyager Log PLT)
  9. When I Was a Kid 4 by Cheeming Boey (Grey Pigeon)
  10. Tong Shu Desktop Calendar 2026 by Joey Yap (Joey Yap Research Group)

Mutiara Minda (Malay Novels)

  1. Kaisar by Jiwa (Nukilan Biruni)
  2. Kaisar: Secret Chapter by Jiwa (Nukilan Biruni)
  3. Rahsia Danny by Teme Abdullah (Iman Publication)
  4. Bahagia Yang Tertangguh by Rissa Ahdiya (Penulisan2u)
  5. Sisakan Aku Cinta by Sofia Roses (Semesta Publication)
  6. Buat Ayah Yang Dirindui by Damien Yong (Iman Publication)
  7. Qaid: The Unknown by Effalee (Manes Wordworks)
  8. Dirty Little Lies by Elvroseth (Idea Kreatif)
  9. Thariq Ridzuwan Commando’s: His Treasure by Hudanajwa (Idea Kreatif)
  10. Yes! Captain Zul Aaryan by Wnfhanna (Idea Kreatif)

Source: MPH