There are many non-standard methods of learning a new language, but none seem more beloved and exciting than film-watching. Yes, you read that right. Watching movies is a great way to familiarize yourself with a language you’re learning. Watching Filipino movies, for instance, will help improve your vocabulary, your pronunciation, and even your comprehension of the Tagalog language.

The Philippine cinema may not be as celebrated as, say, the American or European cinemas, but there’s no question that it’s home to many great filmmakers. In fact, several Filipino films have made it big internationally, and have, over the years, bagged prestigious awards.

You may not be able to visit the nearest movie theaters anytime soon to watch Tagalog movies, but there’s always Netflix and similar online movie platforms. In this article, FilipinoPod101 will present you with a list of Filipino movies you’ll not only enjoy watching but also learn Tagalog from.

Watching Filipino movies is one of the best ways to learn Tagalog!

Table of Contents

1. Himala (“Miracle”)
2. Ang Panday (“The Blacksmith”)
3. Milan
4. One More Chance (lit. “Isa Pang Pagkakataon”)
5. Heneral Luna (“General Luna”)
6. Sukob (International Title: “The Wedding Curse”)
7. Tanging Yaman (International Title: “A Change of Heart”)
8. English Only, Please
9. Kita Kita (“I See You”)
10. Through Night and Day
11. Speed Up Your Learning By Joining FilipinoPod101!

1. Himala (“Miracle”) 

1982 Drama

Anyone who wishes to explore Philippine cinema must watch Himala. This Filipino drama was directed by Ishmael Bernal and stars the “superstar” of Philippine cinema, Nora Aunor, who was nominated for Best Actress at the 1982 Berlin International Film Festival for her performance in this film. One of the greatest Filipino films of all time, Himala is about the story of a young girl who was believed to possess miraculous powers, which she used to heal the sick.

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• pananampalataya – “faith”
• Panginoong Diyos – “Lord God”
• milagro/himala – “Miracle”
• Birheng Maria – “Virgin Mary”
• manggagamot – “healer” / “physician” / someone who heals the sick

Famous line from the film: 

Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao!
“There is no miracle! The miracle is in the heart of man!”

→ Here are more Filipino vocabulary words related to faith and religion.

2. Ang Panday (“The Blacksmith”) 

1980 Action-Fantasy

Ang Panday is an action-fantasy film directed by Ronwaldo Reyes and starring the King of Philippine Movies, Fernando Poe Jr., who plays Flavio, a blacksmith forced to brand children with the mark of the tyrant Lizardo. Flavio forges a magical sword and eventually fulfills a prophecy about him defeating the tyrant while fighting zombies and monsters along the way. This film is so popular that several remakes have been made throughout the years. The main franchise itself was followed by three more sequels. 

Trivia: “Fernando Poe Jr.” is the screen name of Ronwaldo Reyes, the film’s director.

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• espada – “sword”
• alamat – “legend”
• tatakan – “to mark”
• alipin – “slave”
• tagapagligtas – “savior”

Famous line from the film: 

Hindi ako, sapagkat ang panahon ko ay lumipas na. Iba ang darating at makikipagtugis sayo.
“Not I, for my time has passed. Another one will come and pursue you.”

3. Milan

2004 Romantic Drama

One of the most successful Filipino movies of all time, Milan has made over P130 million in the box office. The movie stars Piolo Pascual and Claudine Baretto, two of the top actors in Philippine cinema, and its story is about two Overseas Contract Workers who fall in love while working in Milan. In 2005, both Piolo Pascual and Claudine Baretto won Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (FAMAS) for Best Actor and Best Actress for this movie. This film will not only help improve your skills in the Tagalog language, but it will also give you a glimpse of what Filipinos often go through when working abroad.

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• pinoy – a term relating to Filipinos
• pangarap – “dream”
• hanapin – “to find” or “to look for”
• tulong – “help”
• utang – “debt”

Famous line from the film: 

Mahal mo ba ako dahil kailangan mo ako, o kailangan mo ako kaya mahal mo ako?
“Do you love me because you need me, or do you need me because you love me?”

Data shows there were nearly 30,000 Filipinos living and working in Milan in 2008.

4. One More Chance (lit. “Isa Pang Pagkakataon”) 

2007 Romantic Drama

One More Chance is a film directed by Cathy-Molina Garcia and it stars two of the hottest Filipino actors of this generation: John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. The film is about two college sweethearts who eventually get to work for the same construction firm. After several years of being together, Basha (Alonzo’s character) decides to break up with Popoy (Cruz), who she felt was being too controlling. Hailed as one of the most unforgettable romantic Filipino movies of all time, One More Chance is filled with quotes and lines that continue to make this 13-year-old film very popular.

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• nakakapagod – “tiresome”
• magdesisyon – “to decide”
• plano – “plan”
• opisina – “office”
• arkitekto – “architect”

Famous line from the film: 

Sana ako pa rin. Ako na lang…ako na lang ulit.
“I hope I’m still the one. Let it be me…let it be me again.”

→ This film will remind you how lovely it is to travel and see the world. If you’re going to see the Philippines someday soon, you’ll need our vocabulary list of words related to travel.

5. Heneral Luna (“General Luna”) 

2015 Historical Biopic

Heneral Luna is perfect for those who are studying the Filipino language and culture as the film is set during the time of the Philippine Revolution. What makes this film unique is that it reveals a lot about the brilliant Filipino general Antonio Luna (as well as about Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, and other famous personalities of that time) that you won’t find in history textbooks. The full movie can be viewed on TBA’s YouTube Channel. TBA is one of the studios that produced Heneral Luna, along with Tuko Film Productions and Artikulo Uno Productions.

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• digmaan – “war”
• bayan – “country”
• kalayaan – “freedom”
• sakripisyo – “sacrifice”
• duwag – “coward”

Famous line from the film:

Negosyo o kalayaan? Bayan o sarili? Pumili ka!
“Business or freedom? Country or self? You choose!”

→ Antonio Luna is one of the greatest Filipinos who ever lived and is considered a national hero. Learn more about National Heroes’ Day in the Philippines in this lesson.

General Antonio Luna was so brilliant that even his enemies claimed he was the only general the Filipino army had.

6. Sukob (International Title: “The Wedding Curse”) 

2006 Horror Film

Since the film’s release in 2009, Sukob has been considered the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time with its 203 million-peso earnings. Filipinos love horror films, but what makes this one unique is that it’s based on the Filipino superstition referred to as sukob (lit. “to share a cover or shelter”), which says that one shouldn’t get married in the same year as an immediate family member does. What happens when someone pushes to do so? Well, I won’t spill the beans. Watch Sukob (at your own risk) and find out! By the way, the film stars the Philippine’s Queen of all Media, Kris Aquino, and award-winning actress Claudine Barretto.

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• asawa – “spouse”
• kasal – “wedding”
• pamahiin – “superstition”
• sumpa – “curse”
• sakuna – “tragedy”

Famous line from the film: 

Karaniwan, kapag sukob sa taon ng kasal ng magkapatid, ang isa minamalas, ang isa naman, sinuswerte.
“Usually, when siblings get married in the same year, this is considered sukob, and one of the two gets lucky, while the other one suffers from bad fortune.”

7. Tanging Yaman (International Title: “A Change of Heart”) 

2000 Religious Family Drama

Tanging Yaman is a star-studded Filipino movie about family, based on a liturgical composition of the same title. The international title of the film is A Change of Heart, but Tanging Yaman is literally “only treasure” in Filipino. Winner of nine awards at the 2000 Metro Manila Film Festival, Tanging Yaman tells the story of Lola Loleng (played by well-seasoned Filipina actress Gloria Romero) and her struggles against a debilitating disease as well as the strife between her own children. The film highlights how strong Filipino families deal with internal challenges in order to stay together even in hard times.

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• Diyos – “God”
• problema – “problem”
• lupa – “land” or “property”
• pamilya – “family”
• magkakapatid – “siblings”

Famous line from the film: 

Kahit ‘yung hindi binibigkas ng ating bibig at ‘yung mga lihim na idinadaing ng ating mga puso, nadidinig Nya ‘yun.
“Even the things that our mouths do not utter and the secrets that our hearts cry out for, He hears.”

→ One of the first important things you need to learn when studying a new language is how to talk about your family. Thankfully, FilipinoPod101 has a blog entry about that!

8. English Only, Please 

2014 Romantic Comedy

English Only, Please is a unique Filipino rom-com in that it’s a film about words. It highlights words that people in love would often use. It stars actor Derek Ramsay, who plays a Filipino-American who decides to come home to the Philippines to confront his ex-girlfriend. Since he doesn’t speak Tagalog well, he hires a top-notch tutor named Tere, played by Jennelyn Mercado. This is one fun film where you’ll literally learn new Tagalog words!

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• tanga sa pag-ibig – “lovefool”
• walang-hiya – “a shameless person”
• kilig – untranslatable Tagalog word that refers to the feeling of romantic thrill or excitement
• sinungaling – “liar”
• magpaturo – “to ask someone to teach you”

Famous line from the film: 

Oo na ako na. Ako na. Ako na ang mag-isa!
“Alright, I admit it. It’s me. I’m the one who’s single!”

The Philippines is home to top-notch English tutors like “Tere” in the film ‘English Only, Please.’

9. Kita Kita (“I See You”) 

2017 Romantic Comedy

Kita Kita is set in Japan and follows the story of a Filipino tour guide who goes blind, but not before her fiance cheats on her. A fellow Filipino befriends her, and they eventually fall in love. The film stars award-winning Alessandra De Rossi and comedy star Empoy Marquez, and has grossed P320 million against a modest budget of P10 million. In 2019, Indonesia released its own adaptation of the film, although the film was set in Korea instead of Japan. Due to its success, Kita Kita was dubbed by CNN Philippines as “one of the best romantic comedy films in the last 25 years.” Watch Kita Kita in full at YouTube movies.

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• bulag – “blind”
• mata – “eyes”
• kinikilig – “thrilled”
• nakakakita – “able to see”
• pogi – “handsome”

Famous line from the film: 

Noong nakakakita ka, ‘di mo ako nakita. Nang mabulag ka, doon mo lang ako nakita.
“You didn’t notice me when you still had your sight. When you lost your sight, that’s the only time you were able to see me.”

10. Through Night and Day

2018 Romantic Drama

Through Night and Day became the most-viewed film in the Philippines in 2020. It was ranked by Google as the number-one Most Searched Movie when it released its top search queries list on December 10, 2020. It was also named the 2020 Most Popular Filipino Title on Netflix Philippines. The film stars Alessandra De Rossi (yes, the same actress in the hit Kita Kita) who plays Jen and Paolo Contis who plays Ben, a soon-to-be-married couple whose relationship is torn apart after a tour to Iceland. 

Full of twists and turns, this is one movie that is best described by the saying, “Expect the unexpected.” Be prepared to laugh at the exchanges between Jen and Ben, cry at heartbreaking scenes, and be awed at the stunning sceneries shot in Iceland. All of this and more make this one of the best Filipino movies on Netflix—even if it didn’t become popular until two years after its release! 

Fun fact: Through Night and Day had a poor opening day when it premiered in Cinemas on November 14, 2018. In his YouTube vlog last August, actor Paolo Contis thanked his fans for making the film a Netflix favorite. When asked by his wife why he was only thanking his fans now, he jokingly replied that it’s because they were only watching the film two years later. 

Useful vocabulary you’ll encounter in the film:

• pabigat – “burden”
• magkadikit – “always together” literally “stuck together”
• bakasyon – “vacation”
• magpapakasal – “getting married”
• kaligayahan – “happiness”

Famous line from the film: 

Kung mabubuhay man akong muli, ikaw pa rin ang pipiliin kong mahalin.
“If I should live again, you will still be the one I will choose to love.”

→ You’re surely going to want to share your experiences with your friends after watching these wonderful Filipino movies online. Before you do that, make sure you check out this lesson on talking about movies in Filipino!

Filipino-Italian actress Alessandra De Rossi starred in two of the most critically acclaimed Filipino films in the last three years.

11. Speed Up Your Learning By Joining FilipinoPod101!

Watching Tagalog movies is no doubt one of the best ways to become more familiar with the Filipino language. In particular, this activity can help familiarize you with the correct pronunciation of words, as well as the right situations to use certain words. 

Which of these films do you plan on watching first, and why? Are there any good ones we missed? Let us know in the comments! 

Did you know that there’s another way for you to learn Filipino that’s just as fun and exciting as watching Filipino movies on Netflix and other places online? It’s by joining FilipinoPod101!

FilipinoPod101 is full of free resources to facilitate your learning of the Filipino language. This is in addition to an extensive library of lessons, lists of useful vocabulary, and a blog page where you’ll find great entries like this one.

If you want to accelerate your learning, there’s the MyTeacher service that allows our Premium PLUS members to study and learn Tagalog with a real teacher. No learning approach is more innovative than what FilipinoPod101 has to offer. So, what are you waiting for? Join FilipinoPod101 today!