Bakit may kahapon pa? (1996) User Reviews

in your and my opinion

[red_valera · 10/10 · 21 February 2005]

"Bakit May Kahapon Pa? Or "Why Is There a Yesterday?" is directed by: Joel Lamangan. Starring: Nora Aunor, Eddie Garcia, Dawn Zulueta. After Nora Aunor well-received performance in "Flor Contemplacion" a year ago, Nora Aunor played another realistic role as a farmer's daughter who, after having massacred her family, asks for revenge to the patriarch (Eddie Garcia). She alone makes this movie watchable, which is why it wasn't a big success at the box-office unlike her previous work. One tip: you have to watch this movie twice to get the twist. Winner of an Asian and Urian acting award for Aunor. This is a movie of painful memories, a courageous movie. The perspective is presented in personal terms. In the movie, Nora Aunor is Helen, a former New People's Army Amazon who has gone back to the mainstream of society but can't quite fit in because of an obsession to avenge the killing of her family and townsfolk by the military in 1971. The haunting images of the massacre return to her over and over and result in a dementia that makes her believe she has been chosen by God to wipe out from the face of the earth the family of her town's killer, General Valderrama (Eddie Garcia), a retired officer and now a military attaché. She thereby insinuates herself into his household and hatches an explosive plot to kill the general and his kin. "Bakit May Kahapon Pa?" could not have realized the complexity of it vision if not for a full-bodied screenplay, remarkable production design and art direction, sure footed editing, powerful musical score, and a talented cast: Eddie Garcia, in a surprisingly ham-free performance, a restrained and coldly competent Dawn Zulueta, and an engagingly funny Rolando Tinio as the crackpot heroine's father confessor. The content and form of the film is considered effective, it is a truthful portrayal of the human condition as perceived by the Filipino, and it deals with the Filipino experience to which the greater number of moviegoers can relate. The filmmakers are able to use and integrate creatively the various elements of the cinema - screenplay, production design, direction, acting, cinematography, editing, music, and sound. It reflects the creative integration of the various elements of cinema to an eminent degree. Its screenplay is effective; it explores significant subject matter of experience and conceives this with originality according to the particular demands of the film medium. The Cinematography is considered effective too; it successfully visualizes content through lighting, composition, movement, and related camera techniques, can't you see that "Bakit May Kahapon Pa?" is just a perfect movie?

THE SUPERSTAR AT HER BEST

[fab-one · 10/10 · 21 June 2002]

I gave this movie a perfect 10. I am not Nora Aunor fanatic - I am too young to be his diehard groupie. But this film is a must. Another movie that reflects the abusive militaristic government in the Philippine, then headed by a former military general who helped in ousting a dictator. La Aunor gave a fantastic performance as the villager who survived a massacre and went after the head of the platoon leader, who powerfully played by veteran Eddie Garcia.