Wahaha! I can't believe this, my fourth post for the day. I just finished watching and "indie" (slang for independent) film that was featured in this year's cinemalaya. Our school was lucky enough to negotiate with the Cultural Center of the Philippines to be able to show the movies here in Dumaguete. The first film that was shown tonight was entitled "Endo", springing from the tagalog slang of the words "end of contract". Though it was the main reason why I wasn't able to catch the last bus for home, I have no regrets, coz' the film was really nice. And if I did catch that bus, I wouldn't be writing this entry now.
I'm gonna share to you a little bit more about the film, and I'm also gonna give a critique of the film, it's overal appeal, the storyline, the actors, the script, the whole shebang! So here's a little look at the film entitled "Endo" :
The film basically focuses on the lives and loves of the ubiquitous, but unseen, labor force that consists of our sales clerks, waiters, and others. It centers on the life of Leo (Jason Abalos) whose life is a series of terminable contracts. In short, he's a contractual worker who hops from one job to another, usually for 5-6 months at a time. Having finished only high school, and being forcibly assigned as the family breadwinner, he takes on five month service-oriented jobs, one after another. In comes Tanya(Ina Feleo), a spirited dreamer whose exuberant nature creates a sudden shift in Leo's life. But the question is, will this love affair finally give him a taste of security and permanence?
MY CRITIQUE:
Please note that the following observations are mine, and mine alone. As a sensible person, you shouldn't judge the film based only on my, or anyone else's, point of view. Watch the movie first, before you make hasty judgments.
The Good:
What's good about the movie is that it focuses on the most interesting, yet most ignored classes in the country. It shows of the struggles of a young breadwinner and his topsy-turvy encounters in his life, and the lives of his friends, family, and lovers(he had 2 lovers in the film). Perhaps one factor that set it apart from other films is the fact that the masses, are able to relate to it better. Most young people, especially those living in highly urbanized cities, had probably experienced what the actor had gone through in the film. Another thing that's interesting about it is that it is written in such a way that most of the people would easily understand it. And the situations and different scenes in the film clearly resemble those of the life of an average underpaid, contractual worker, who has to look for a new job every 5-6 months. Storywise, the film was really something to be proud of, though I have some negative comments about it too.
The Bad:
Although the film as overall good, there are certain things that I really couldn't brush off. Like the fact that certain scenes in the film were badly(really harsh) made. Also, some of the actors weren't really into character when giving their lines. I mean, one could really tell that they were just "acting", with no sense of realism in their portrayal of their roles. It's not really the how big the role is, or how many lines or words you utter, it's basically how well you perform your role that counts.
The Ugly:
Amateur actors I can handle, but having supossedly experienced(experienced here in a sense that this wasn't their first time acting) actors show mediocre performances is a real pain to watch. I also detest the poor use of lighting in the film, along with the poor sound and noise adjustments. I think it was pretty much the technical stuff that made the movie weak.
CONCLUSION:
Though the movie was already good, in terms of story and content, it could have been even better if it was masterfully done and technically enhanced. But honestly, we have take into consideration that this film wasn't really made by some big-ass production companies, but rather, this film was created due to the efforts of various individuals who wanted the movie industry to be more than just about box-office hits. Furthermore, I believe that we need more of these types of films to give as a real sense of what is in our society today. Let us not settle for movies that give us giggles, kisses, hugs, though lacking in content. Let us not be mere followers of the romance genre or the american movies, but also of the diverse and spectacular stories that make up most what we popularly call as "Indie Film."
I'm gonna share to you a little bit more about the film, and I'm also gonna give a critique of the film, it's overal appeal, the storyline, the actors, the script, the whole shebang! So here's a little look at the film entitled "Endo" :
The film basically focuses on the lives and loves of the ubiquitous, but unseen, labor force that consists of our sales clerks, waiters, and others. It centers on the life of Leo (Jason Abalos) whose life is a series of terminable contracts. In short, he's a contractual worker who hops from one job to another, usually for 5-6 months at a time. Having finished only high school, and being forcibly assigned as the family breadwinner, he takes on five month service-oriented jobs, one after another. In comes Tanya(Ina Feleo), a spirited dreamer whose exuberant nature creates a sudden shift in Leo's life. But the question is, will this love affair finally give him a taste of security and permanence?
MY CRITIQUE:
Please note that the following observations are mine, and mine alone. As a sensible person, you shouldn't judge the film based only on my, or anyone else's, point of view. Watch the movie first, before you make hasty judgments.
The Good:
What's good about the movie is that it focuses on the most interesting, yet most ignored classes in the country. It shows of the struggles of a young breadwinner and his topsy-turvy encounters in his life, and the lives of his friends, family, and lovers(he had 2 lovers in the film). Perhaps one factor that set it apart from other films is the fact that the masses, are able to relate to it better. Most young people, especially those living in highly urbanized cities, had probably experienced what the actor had gone through in the film. Another thing that's interesting about it is that it is written in such a way that most of the people would easily understand it. And the situations and different scenes in the film clearly resemble those of the life of an average underpaid, contractual worker, who has to look for a new job every 5-6 months. Storywise, the film was really something to be proud of, though I have some negative comments about it too.
The Bad:
Although the film as overall good, there are certain things that I really couldn't brush off. Like the fact that certain scenes in the film were badly(really harsh) made. Also, some of the actors weren't really into character when giving their lines. I mean, one could really tell that they were just "acting", with no sense of realism in their portrayal of their roles. It's not really the how big the role is, or how many lines or words you utter, it's basically how well you perform your role that counts.
The Ugly:
Amateur actors I can handle, but having supossedly experienced(experienced here in a sense that this wasn't their first time acting) actors show mediocre performances is a real pain to watch. I also detest the poor use of lighting in the film, along with the poor sound and noise adjustments. I think it was pretty much the technical stuff that made the movie weak.
CONCLUSION:
Though the movie was already good, in terms of story and content, it could have been even better if it was masterfully done and technically enhanced. But honestly, we have take into consideration that this film wasn't really made by some big-ass production companies, but rather, this film was created due to the efforts of various individuals who wanted the movie industry to be more than just about box-office hits. Furthermore, I believe that we need more of these types of films to give as a real sense of what is in our society today. Let us not settle for movies that give us giggles, kisses, hugs, though lacking in content. Let us not be mere followers of the romance genre or the american movies, but also of the diverse and spectacular stories that make up most what we popularly call as "Indie Film."
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