30 Best Tagalog/Filipino Movies You'll Adore
When talking about Filipino/Tagalog movies, many people think of brightly colored anime stripes à la Sailor Moon or blunt kung fu action. But the Far Eastern film market has much more to offer: dark thrillers, love stories of epic proportions, spectacular battles and stylish horror. Despite the often great quality, only a fraction of the films make it up to us, what can you speculate on (the cultural differences, the financial risk for the cinema operators or the art-house style used in many works?). For all fans of Filipino/Tagalog cinema (and those who may still be) we have put together a small list of highlights here.
30. I’m Drunk, I Love You (2017)
Days before graduation, two college best friends go on one last road trip where they settle how they really feel for each other. But to put it upfront, this is not a love story.
29. Love You to the Stars and Back (2017)
'Love You to the Stars and Back' tells the story of Mika (Julia Barretto) and Caloy (Joshua Garcia), who discover love while on a road trip to find aliens.
28. Siargao (2017)
Three souls vibe in the island off of northeastern Mindanao.
27. That Thing Called Tadhana (2014)
A story about a broken-hearted girl who meets a boy in a not so normal way. Together, they go to places and find out 'where do broken hearts go?'
26. Lorna (2014)
A midlife comedy drama of a woman's romantic life-a story of being alone, growing old, looking for love, and moving on. Lorna, already in her 60's, finds an online lover and an old flame that will turn her life upside down. But at her age, is love too late for a woman like Lorna?
25. Smaller and Smaller Circles (2017)
A serial killer in Payatas leaves the bodies of young boys in the dump as two Jesuit priests try to solve the murders.
24. Kita Kita (2017)
A blind woman falls in love with a man who uses kindness and humor to make a connection with her.
23. She's Dating the Gangster (2014)
Athena Dizon plays a trick on campus heartthrob and bad boy, gangster, Kenji de los Reyes. Setting up an arrangement to pretend as lovers-to make his ex jealous-they found themselves falling to each other yet falling apart.
22. Baby Love (1995)
Andie (Anna Larrucea) and Ira ('Jason Salcedo') sincerely think that they are deeply in love and ready to face the world. They attempt to tie the knot and build a life of their own. Their parents are shocked by their children's behavior until they realize their shortcomings led the kids to run away from their boarding school.
21. Till There Was You (2003)
Joanna (Santos) meets single father Albert (Pascual) and his baby Pippa on a bus. When she gets off the bus, Joanna accidentally leaves her photograph behind with her book. Over the years, Pippa comes to believe that this picture is of her mother's. Years later, Pippa meets Joanna again, and Albert hires her to act as Pippa's mother. Eventually, Albert and Joanna become romantically involved.
20. Ang pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2005)
A young boy falls in love with a handsome policeman who is investigating his family's criminal activities.
19. Bliss (2017)
After involving in a film production accident that leaves her crippled, Jane Ciego, a successful actress, slowly transitions into madness after experiencing horrors and torture in her own home.
18. Kasal, kasali, kasalo (2006)
Angie and Jed are the two most unlikely people to fall in love with each other. When his parents force him to migrate to the US, Jed does the unimaginable - he proposes to Angie. Hasty wedding preparations and conflict between their families almost drive them crazy. This is when they realize that marriage life isn't exactly 'happily ever after.'
17. Sakaling hindi makarating (2016)
A series of mysterious hand-illustrated postcards take a young woman on a journey throughout the Philippines in search of its anonymous writer.
16. Always Be My Maybe (2016)
A makeup artist recovering from a breakup reluctantly begins a relationship with a wealthy playboy.
15. English Only, Please (2014)
A Filipino-American man hires a translator to help translate a letter he wrote for the woman that broke his heart.
14. Don't Give Up on Us (2006)
When her best friend fails to show up for her own bridal shower just weeks before the wedding, a frenzied Abby (Judy Ann Santos) vows to find her so the event can stay on schedule. Relying on a cassette tape that belonged to her friend, Abby follows the clues all the way to Baguio, where she meets Vince (Piolo Pascual), the handsome folk singer whose voice can be heard on the recording but who claims to know nothing of her friend.
13. Ang larawan (2017)
In a musical tale about standing together against materialism, two impoverished sisters anguish over whether or not to sell a painting, the final masterpiece by their recluse father. A bitter struggle for survival against betrayal set in pre-World War II Manila.
12. Shift (2013)
A tomboyish call center agent falls for her openly gay co-worker.
11. Starting Over Again (2014)
A pair of exes run into each other again years after a breakup that left them with plenty of unresolved questions.
10. Labs kita, Okey ka lang? (1998)
Ned and Bujoy's longtime friendship blossoms into love when they start to date other people.
9. Vince & Kath & James (2016)
Senior engineering student Vince has a crush on go-getter and fellow engineering student Kath. Just as when he's about to confess his feelings for her, his cousin and basketball varsity player James begs to build him up on Kath by pretending to be the secret admirer 'Var' through text message. As he becomes James' secret wingman, Vince struggles to restrain his own feelings for Kath. However, as Kath gets to know Vince during internship, she increasingly feels the genuine connection with him -- the same connection she had felt with 'Var'. In this young love triangle filled with filters, will the three of them ever find genuine love they deserve?
8. Respeto (2017)
A poor aspiring rapper befriends an older poet after vandalizing his bookstore.
7. My Amnesia Girl (2010)
Apollo wants to redeem himself to Irene, a girl who he leaves on the day of their wedding, but a big problem occurs, Irene has amnesia.
6. Got 2 Believe (2002)
Tony (Claudine Barretto) is woman desperate to find love. She meets Lawrence (Rico Yan), a photographer, who offers her to help find the man of her dreams. Together, they will discover the real meaning of 'True Love'.
5. Deadma Walking (2017)
A Palanca-winning comedy about gay best friends for life John (Joross Gamboa) and Mark (Edgar Allan Guzman) whose friendship is put to the test when one of them has a terminal illness and asks the other to help him stage his fake death, wake, and funeral as his dying wish. The result is a laughfest of 'deadly' proportions.
4. Kiko Boksingero (2017)
Kiko, an 11-year-old boy left aimlessly alone with his nanny after the recent death of his mother, rekindles a long lost relationship with his father in an attempt to find a new lease on life.
3. Paglipay (2016)
Atan Dimaya is a 19-year old Aeta boy who strives to earn money for his “bandi” or dowry in order to marry Ani, a fellow Aeta and childhood friend of Atan. With Ani’s parents setting a bride price of 20,000 pesos, Atan goes to town and sells cassava and banana hearts. This is where his resolve to marry Ani is shaken as he meets Rain, a student from UP Manila researching for her undergrad thesis.
2. Star na si Van Damme Stallone (2016)
The life story of a kid diagnosed with Down syndrome. He dreams of being an artista; his family has to make ends (and dreams) meet.
1. Changing Partners (2017)
Based on the Palanca Award-winning musical play by Vincent de Jesus, Changing Partners film adaptation tells the story of couple Alex and Cris; their love relationship and at the period of breaking up. Film tells the story in 4 relationship variations.
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