Friday, January 02, 2009

Movie: Dayo

Dayo
Studios: Cutting Edge Productions
Release: December 25, 2008
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
MTRCB Rating: GP
Websites: http://www.dayomovie.com/
http://dayomovie.multiply.com/

My Rating:

Overall Grade: B
Story: B
Acting B-
Direction: B-
Visuals: B

This is probably the only movie in the Metro Manila Film Fest this year that I wanted to see. There are other good movies no doubt, the award-winning types - but Dayo is the only one I'd pick if I want to be entertained.

The story's good. I had a good laugh at a number of scenes. The dialogue makes me cringe whenever TagLish is used though, and that's because I hate uber TagLish in general. The graphics are fine ... I have to say the background has been drawn better than the characters. The sound is a bit off ... I am not sure if it's the theater or the film itself.

On the musical scoring - the music taken separately, per song, are good. They do not however always fit well with the movie. There are parts of the story where the music fails to work with the visual stimuli in pulling the viewer into the world of the tale being told. The use of Philippine musical instruments is commendable, but the music as used in the movie does not help in inspiring awe the way the African chants and intruments did in Lion King. There are times that the music ended up as "noise".

On continuity, I would like to know how Anna was able to convince her father and his minions in helping Bubuy get out of Elementalia. After dragging Anna away, they later appear out of nowhere in one battle scene and this time they are helpful creatures... and no explanation was given for the change of heart.

All in all, the movie is actually engaging because of the story, and I am willing to forgive the TagLish and the odd scoring if the makers of the movie don't do it again in whatever movie they plan to do next. And I do hope that they make another movie.

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