These are only some of the films shot in the Philippines.

(SPOT.ph) With its exquisite beaches, lush forests, vivid alleyways, rich history, not to mention the semi-ambiguous facial features of its residents, the Philippines is just an open movie set screaming to be used. From reality shows and low-budget films to major blockbusters, The Bourne Legacy shoot in Metro Manila (and later on in Palawan) is just the latest in many projects shot in the country.

So we’re taking a stroll around the country, remembering some of the more buzzed-about films that believed in our country’s cinematic beauty. For some, the Philippines served as a "stand-in" for other countries, in others it's a mere flashback setting, and a few "revisit" the country's past wars.

Brokedown Palace (1999)

Director: Jonathan Kaplan
Starring: Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Bill Pullman
Premise: Two American best friends are accused of smuggling heroin to Thailand and consequently imprisoned.
Location: Pasay City (with Coconut Palace and Cotton Club as Pat Pong bars), Manila Hotel ; Setting: Thailand

Thailand refused to grant the film permission to shoot, so the production ended up creating, instead, a makeshift set in the Philippines. Shortly after filming, however, lead actress Claire Danes mentioned in a Vogue interview that Manila was a “ghastly and weird city.” Meanwhile, Premiere magazine also quoted her saying that the city “smelled of cockroaches, with rats all over, and that there is no sewage system and the people do not have anything—no arms, no legs, no eyes.” Her controversial statements earned her the ire not just of Filipinos (including half-Pinoy co-star Lou Diamond Phillips) but of Oprah, Tom Hanks, and Bruce Willis. Her subsequent apology was dismissed as insincere and the city of Manila has since declared her persona non grata.