Review: OTJ (On The Job), Or Five Reasons Why OTJ is the Best Filipino Film I've Seen So Far
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| YouTube |
Erik Matti’s On The Job is one bloody masterpiece. The whole thing just blew me away. This, in my opinion, is how Filipino movies should be made.
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| And this is how promo materials should be made. |
Here are five things about this movie that make it worthy of the title “the best (modern) Filipino film I have seen so far”.
1. GREAT STORY(TELLING)
This also includes “great directing” under here, since the story is by director Erik Matti himself. The screenplay, though, is another collaboration between Matti and Michiko Yamamoto, like Tiktik, which I loved. So the Matti-Yamamoto screenwriting tandem is fast becoming a local favourite of mine.
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| And Joey Marquez is fast becoming Erik Matti's go-to guy. |
2. GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHY
It’s by Dix Buhay. I went to film school with him. And his lighting here is just gorgeous.
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| Good job, Mr. Buhay. |
3. GREAT ACTING
Although it may have the feel of an indie film, that is only in relation to the storytelling freedom this project allows the filmmakers. As for everything else, this is a major studio film, so it has a star-studded cast. But the star of this show: Gerald Anderson. It’s the first time I’ve seen the guy act, and I have to admit, he’s good.
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| You make me gay, Mr. Anderson. Wait... whut. |
4. GREAT EDITING
Good job, Mr. Jay Halili, for achieving the perfect balance between nail-biting suspense, adrenaline-pumping action, and relatively slower exposition. And that is because of this movie’s...
5. GREAT PACING
Pacing, in my opinion, is the most difficult thing to pull off. It all goes back to the screenplay; if you’ve got great pacing on paper, that’s where the director and editor take their cues from.
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| Great pacing will get you places, boys. |
OTJ (On The Job). Philippines. 2013.
Original rating: 8.5 / 10
Piolo Pascual's hair: - 0.05
Empress Schuck: + 0.05
Vivian Velez's character having the same name as my mother: + 0.1
Joel Torre: + 0.05
Angel Aquino's sluttiness: - 0.05
Gerald Anderson's acting: + 0.05
Lack of William Martinez screen time: - 0.05
Niño Muhlach: + 0.05
Joey Marquez breaking down at Piolo's death: + 0.05
Final rating: 8.7 / 10
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2 comments :
Wow. THIS I can't miss. Wait, is it still showing?
Yes, I believe it is. Do NOT miss it on the big screen. The suspense is best enjoyed with other Filipinos. Hehehe.
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