Three Years Without God

Watched via ABS-CBN Star Cinema Youtube Page. It is free and with hardcoded English subtitle.

'Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos' tells the story of Rosario and her family during the three years of the Godless Japanese Occupation -beginning towards the upstart of the war towards the literal end of it.

Interesting film.

I think I have watched so much of this war 'collaborator' films that I tend to put this film against a higher pedestal. This kind of film is rife AND follows a tried and trusted formula (Europa, Europa , Lacombe Lucien*, Hiroshima, Mon Amour). Someone is piled into collaborating to survive and ultimately just tries to be alive.

I think the main difference here is that it is about a woman forced via rape. It really tips a certain uncanniness that defiantly Filipino. It hits the rampant sexism in our country and plays out the exploitation narratives common during the Marcos era films.

It sadly did not live up against those three listed above.

I'll start with what I love. The acting is supreme. The gothic styling of Aunor is such a pleasant thing to watch. She just has this style that really exist on her own realm. O'Hara specifically compliments it with how he presented her in some key sequences. It is also nice to De Leon strutting a much darker aura against his usual hot guy roles and shows why he is one of the biggest stars of all time.

But it ultimately feels uninspired and quite confounding.

It just lacks the duplicity of it all.

Like I wish it really tried to keep up that *rape* of it all. That element of the film was truly turned into a cheap excuse of drama in the end. It ultimately never mattered. Also, how it depicted the narrative of Rosario's vs the non-collaborators felt emotionally manipulative. There is a weird lack of care about the locals in this film. They were portrayed as if they are actually bad to have this feeling (primarily towards Rosario) about her collaboration and is shown that their action is selfish in hindsight. It did not really turn me off but it made this film a bit muddled in my eyes.

Ultimately, this is good but not as punctuative or innovative as I thought it would be. I think this is a rare instance that a PH film centered around collaborators. That was a unique change but I think this questionable facet of war has been handled better in other films.

This movie tackles the story of Rosario, a teacher, who was raped by a Japanese- Filipino during the Japanese occupation in her small town in Laguna. She got pregnant and had to live with the prejudice of her town mates after her family accepted Masugi.

It was not long before Rosario accepted her fate, she bore her child and married Masugi. But when the war came to an end, she had to face again the fury of her town mate, and they were unforgiving.

The movie depicts the horror of war, the fear that it creates, the dilemma of the people trapped in the struggle to survive. But most of all, the movie tackles the love and aspirations of the three main characters, their faith and before the movie ends, hope.

This movie really surprised me, the story and script were superb. The pace was believable, Rosario falling for Masugi's charm was not forced. You emphasize with the characters and their plights as they move through the three years of darkness ,without God. Christopher de Leon playing Masugi is also believable as the half Japanese born in Manila. I am glad he didn't play a character who for example, is really a Japanese but just so happen to speak Tagalog fluently; a scenario not uncommon in other Filipino movies.

My only scene that didn't go well is when the town folks cut Rosario's hair. Yes , yes I get it but Nora's face after her hair was cut was too funny and felt out of place. The music is a little redundant, playing the same song throughout the movie.

Overall,this movie is well made, worthy to classify this as a classic, and perhaps O Hara's best movie of all time.

Amazing film making from the Philippines, the times where arts and talent bound together. Today filmakers feed people of what they like nurture them with shallow and dumb stiry telling.

Gone are the days of creativity where film makers create movies that will question their history and induce conflict among viewers. They make stories of what people should know and how things are happening during the times of aggression amd famine.

Nora deserves her best actress award for this movie. This movie is one of the best in Philippine cinema.

Farewell to the one and only Philippine Superstar Ms. Nora Aunor.

After watching this film, I was left in tears. It powerfully depicts the harsh realities faced during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s. Although it focuses on the stories of just three individuals, their experiences resonate deeply and serve as a poignant reflection of the suffering endured by the entire population during that tumultuous period. The performances are subtle and authentic, avoiding melodrama and instead conveying raw emotion through genuine acting. It was heartbreaking to witness how, in just three years of war, humanity seemed to be lost. This film is a moving reminder of the devastating impact of conflict on both individuals and society as a whole.

Superb acting and very realistic. The acting of Nora Aunor and Christopher deleon brought the story alive. Every scene was heart pounding. It make you fell as if you are witnessing a real life story, unfolding in your very eyes. You need a box of tissue paper next to you.