Ricafrente, Diocielle T.

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Ganito kami Noon, Paano kami Ngayon ?

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The movie is all about the struggle of the people amidst the chaos of the time

between the transition of the Spanish and the Americans that happen suddenly that the

inhabitants of the island had to cope with a lot of changes. I liked the movie although it is

boring to watch due to its movie effects, such as black and white color and poor sound

effects im not usually hear but the lesson is there. I have mixed emotions in the scenes of

the movie like the vivid scenes of coping with a new colonizer when we saw Kulas, the

protagonist, interact with the Americans. We saw how different they were from the

Spanish, not only with their attitude but with their language as well, Kulas could not

understand them, likewise, the American troops had trouble communicating with him as

well. In this particular scene we witness the struggle of the natives in adjusting these new

people and overcoming a stage barrier. Another scene that would further prove this

language barrier was when Tibor’s maid claimed ownership of the house to the American

officer, we can notice her lack of knowledge of the English knowledge. In the same scene

we can also say that the natives had to also cope with a new government because of Kulas’

inability to reclaim his house, since the Spanish left, there was no way for him to prove the

ownership of the property, the statement to the officer to his troops about how it was their

mission to establish American ideologies into the country.

Ricafrente, Diocielle T.
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A change in education system is also evident in the film, seen in the conversation of

Kulas and Bindoy, the son of Padre Gil Corcuera, in the school hallway. As they conversed,

an American soldier in the background can be seen carrying a black board up a flight of

stairs. The also show the hardships of the natives as they tried to continue to live normally

amidst all the chaos. It can be said for for there are scenes that prove this; there was one

scene wherein Kulas was awakened by the sound of gunshots and cannons. In another

scene, Tibor would talk about the chaos happened ever since the Americans came. And the

young Bindoy protest to Kulas that he doesn’t want to stay at school for a part of it had

been bombarded. Yet with all of these happening, Kulas and the other natives would still

go on with their lives, doing activities like going on walks, eating out, and watching

zarzuelas, things that Kulas and his wife, Diding, did the film. The transition of the

Philippines from Spain to America would also bring about an identity crisis among its

people. During the Spanish colonial period, “Filipinos” were t6hose Spanish born in the

archipelago and the natives were called “Indios”. However, when the Americans came all

that changed, which leads to the question, “who/what is a Filipino?” A question that Kulas

has been longing to be answered.

The film gives me a feeling what were my life if I am in that time, the transition

period of the Spanish and the Americans. The film gives me something that cannot be

found in other history movies or books. It is an excellent film and should be watched by

everyone. It raises awareness for the struggle of the Filipinos that time and gives me this

feeling that I am free now, the Philippines is free now from those colonizers and I am very

thankful that I am not in that era.

Ricafrente, Diocielle T.
3BA1

Maynila: Sa Kuko ng Liwanag

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The film’s title is quite a mystery that can’t be understand at your first glance but

when you watched the film the title gives you many things that could probably answer why

the title is like that. It may be the dirt in the nails or claws which describes the bad and

horrible things on the dark side of Manila. And the light describes the first impression of

the City to the provincial beings who want success in their lives that like a moth attracts

them and hypnotize them that when the time of realization they were have been damage

their wings and loss their freedom to fly.

The films protagonist is Bembol Rocco as Julio Pandiago who came to manila just to

find his lost love Ligaya Paraiso. The journey and adventures of Julio as first time in Manila

is the flow of the movie until he finds Ligaya. The movie is so interesting but I don’t like the

sound effects. I like the rumors and the lesson picturing the hardship of poor people in

manila wherein no one cares for you if you live or not. The film shows the horrible things

and doings in the dark side of manila wherein these poor Manilenos have to live every day

of their life. The adventures of Julio is so realistic that even me didn’t think about it when I

see Manila. Realistic in the manner when he is in the construction site where the singer

guys dies and the establishment don’t care about it so even the construction workers don’t

mind it and just feel sad about it. The transition of his jobs until he finds ligaya are all

horrible and bad things not like he is in the Province. When he finds Ligaya, she became a
Ricafrente, Diocielle T.
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prostitute and want to get free in that and go back to the province with him it is so

dramatic and make me realize that without education you don’t know your rights and all

you can do is to compromise with the people in that place as well as their living whether it

is right or wrong you don’t care just to live your everyday life.

The ending of of the movie is a dead end death for Julio. When he tries to

escape with Ligaya. Ligaya got killed and Julio killed the landlord of the casa who killed

ligaya and in realization of what he did he run holding the knife and a number of men

chasing him not knowing his real story, chasing him because all they know is that he killed

somebody until a dead end for him. And that’s his end for his life all the adventures in the

city leads him to death not knowing his rights. This movie made me feel how cruel the

world is. In every place whether it is a city or province if you are a stranger in that place and

don’t know anything you might lead to what Julio became and this movie made me mad to

those no heart people especially in the end part of the movie.

Ricafrente, Diocielle T.
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Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo

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The story of the movie is all about a woman who wants to live in America but after

the tragedy came to his brother caused by the Americans her heart and perception change

and all she wants is justice. I feel sorry for her loss in that scene. I like the movie, Nora

Aunor was so moving she is a great actress. I love the story of the film but being black and

white and sound effects it made me feel boring a bit but the story is great about seeking

justice but didn’t achieve. It shows clearly that if you fight for your right and your opponent

is way much bigger that you you can’t achieve justice just like the experience of many

Filipinos here in our country wherein Justice can be payed of.

The Story of the film is about the de la Cruzes and the Santos are two lower-middle-

class families who live in Pampanga. Cora de la Cruz is a nurse who dreams of living in

the United States. Her papers are ready and she organises employment at an American

hospital. She hopes to get a green card allowing her to stay, achieve immigrant status and

then bring her family to America for a better life. Cora's mother and younger brother

encourage her but her father, Ingkong, disagrees. He believes that moving to America is a

betrayal of their country.

Bonifacio Santos is Cora’s fiancee. He intends to join the U.S. Navy so that he can be with

Cora in America. His mother and their maid are saving to help him with the expenses. The

families make no reference in their plans to instances of crime, including murder,

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committed by American soldiers in the Philippines who are indemnified against

prosecution under laws of extraterritoriality. Bonifacio's mother works at a commissary at

an American base. She is mistreated by a Filipino female guard, who strips Santo of her

“smuggled” panties and waves them like a flag to the delight the American male guards.

Santos takes the matter to court with no success and the guard retaliates by raiding her

store. Bonifacio becomes disenchanted with America and abandons his plans.

Cora is appalled at the failure of the Philippine courts to provide justice for Mrs. Santos but

continues with her plans to leave for America. On the night of her despedida (farewell

party), Cora's brother is shot dead by an American soldier while scavenging in the garbage

dump of the American base. Cora stays to seek justice for her brother. She discovers that

the case cannot continue as the soldier has been reassigned to another country. I am so

mad in the Americans here who ran away for the responsibility and all they can do is to

have benefits for this country making us puppets.