User Reviews

A picturesque tale of Kulas, a country bumpkin, whose misadventures symbolize the search for the elusive Filipino identity at a time when Spain was being replaced by the United States as the colonizer after a short-lived period of Philippine independence. A sprawling historical epic, which details the country's struggles in establishing its cultural identity dating from the Revolution against Spain until the Philippine-American War, as seen through the eyes of a provincial young man. Unanimously celebrated by audiences and critics alike, Ganito Kami Noon was chosen as Best Picture of the Year by the Manunuri Pelikulang Pilipino, and was eventually cited as one of top ten films of that impressive decade. In 2002, it was selected as one of the best films of the past 30 years from Pepper Marcelo.

I feel so privileged to have watched this classic masterpiece! As a history junkie, I cannot even put into words how happy I am right now to see a glimpse of the life our ancestors lived. I could spend all day admiring the beautiful sights before my eyes! The location, photography, and costumes make this a worthwhile ride but none more so than the magnetic Kulas. He represents the best of us. His innocent approach to life reminds us of the more important things: trust, friendship, and hope. I cannot even imagine anyone portraying him than Christopher because he was perfect. On the other hand, it was refreshing to watch a young and raw Gloria Diaz that brought spice to the whole film. She was exceedingly gorgeous! Aside from the heritage nostalgia, this film made me long for Eddie Garcia. As always, he was a pleasure to watch. Any film or TV that had him was twice better because of the amount of passion he poured. And we, the audience always felt it. I miss you Eddie!

Honestly, I expected some intense drama or violence because I had no idea about its plot, I just knew it was set in the colonial period. Nevertheless, I was more than satisfied to witness a simple yet moving period piece. It was a breath of fresh air from the recent heavy art I consumed. Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? was hilarious and genius! And to answer the question, we are doomed unless we fight for ourselves.