Sometimes, one would come across a seemingly innocent old film and search for its deeper meanings. Sometimes, one doesn’t find it and just go into that “what on earth did I just watch?” state. It wasn’t because the film was bad, it’s because it is a genre of its own. Now, no matter how much you try to understand what is going on in the film, it’s better to sit back and enjoy the way it treats itself. This is “Kakaba kaba ka ba?”. Its whimsical title would naturally make any Filipino smile, and make foreigners even more confused, mouthing the title in a monotonous way.

To make it short and sweet, this film is about two couples who find themselves in trouble, or in some shady business with big time Japanese and Chinese corporations, both of which heavily influence the Philippine economy. It also involves getting chased by an Asian mafia, coming in between an uncomfortable yet comical spat between the Japanese and the Chinese mafia, and getting into a church surrounded by undercover spies disguised as priests and nuns. The film is a musical and comedy genius. A satire filled with racial and religious stereotypes, that’ll surely get banned if it was shown today.