Cinema One Originals 2017 Movie Review: Kip Oebanda's "Nay"

Ms. Sylvia Sanchez is "Nay"

After his critically-acclaimed youth oriented film Bar Boys which debuted at the first Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, director Kip Oebanda is back. This time, he takes on a classic Filipino folklore and gives it a new, millennial spin. Tagged as a gore film, this horror drama mixes shocks with political messages and underlying themes. “Nay”, written and directed by Kip Oebanda, stars a pretty interesting cast, led by Enchong Dee, Jameson Blake and Ms. Sylvia Sanchez, together with Harvey Bautista and Carla Humphries and is one of the official entries to the Cinema One Originals 2017.

Martin's (Enchong Dee) sheltered life is turned around when he gets terminally ill. To save his life, his beloved yaya, Nay Luisa (Sylvia Sanchez) turns him into something truly horrifying. He must choose between dying or becoming a monster that preys on the poor and the weak in city where dehumanization has become the norm.

Screenshots from the trailer

The film is perfect for the theme of this year’s Cinema One Originals film festival: Walang Takot (fearless).The film’s story is not just about the plight of Martin’s character after being turned into an aswang. It also tackles very important and relevant issues today, particularly on extra-judicial killings. Though technically a horror film, Nay hides a lot of political and social overtones underneath it’s bloody and violent skin. It offers a very timely commentary on our society’s morality nowadays, particularly how we are slowly being desensitized to violence around us. At one point of the film, Nay Luisa asks Martin who is he to judge who should die and who should live. This pretty much mirrors how the people responsible for those extra-judicial killings are deciding whether it’s better if one man should just die instead of giving him a chance to change.

The film’s boasts a very powerful cast. Enchong Dee was really good in portraying the young yuppie Martin. He was able to convey a lot of emotions for his character, particularly during the time he was suffering from his illness. Jameson Blake has improved a lot since his past stint in 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten and Nabubulok. He has grown into the craft he is passionate about. I think he should get more challenging roles because for sure, he’s going to nail them. I was impressed with Carla Humhries and Harvey Baustista in this movie. And of course, who can forget Ms. Sylvia Sanchez’ tour de force performance as the title role Nay. She surprised us with her bravura take on her character. She was magnetic and captivating. She quickly shifts from being funny to scary. It was a performance that deserves recognition, perhaps a Best Actress award.

And yes, the film succeeds in it’s promises of gore. Nay is definitely one of the bloodiest Pinoy horror films I’ve seen, with it’s shocking and brutal visuals. It doesn’t care about jump scares an instead, it’s focused on shocking the audience with it’s unapologetic blood shedding. Though it’s not as gory as other foreign gore films I’ve seen, it has enough to satisfy my cravings as a gorehound. The pacing of the film was slow, but it was okay. It wasn’t really boring because of the witty script, combining shocks and humor. So far, this is one of the best Aswang movies I’ve seen in local cinema. Also, some of the scenes of the film reminds me of the Spanish horror film REC . And that ending has some Hannibal feels in it.

Watching Nay was a great way to start my Cinema One Originals experience this year. It’s shocking, brutal and bloody. But it’s also funny and entertaining, plus it’s timely commentary on our society’s issues today is very relevant. A millennial Aswang film? What more can you ask for?

Rating: ✰✰✰✰1/2  of 5

"Nay" (2017) directed by Kip Oebanda, Enchong Dee, Jameson Blake and Ms. Sylvia Sanchez

An official entry to the 2017 Cinema One Originals Film Festival

FEATURE: Enchong Dee, Jameson Blake star in Kip Oebanda's NAY

Director Kip Oebanda with stars Enchong Dee & Jameson Blake
Source: @KipOebanda

"After Bar Boys, what are you going to do next?" Director Kip Oebanda asks himself in one of his social media posts.

After his critically acclaimed youth-oriented comedy drama Bar Boys (2017) which was part of the very first Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino and starred Carlo Aquino, Enzo Pineda, Rocco Nacino and Kean Cipriano, what's really next for Director Kip Oebanda? The answer to that question is Nay. An official entry to the 2017 Cinema One Originals, Nay features some of the country's well known actors led by Enchong Dee, Sylvia Sanchez and Jameson Blake. In Nay, Director Kip goes for the supernatural as he makes a film about a rich, sheltered youth who gets to be transformed into an aswang by his yaya, Nay Luisa.

Director Kip Oebanda with star Sylvia Sanchez. Source: @KipOebanda

The project was described by actor Jameson Blake as a gore film, a subgenre of horror film that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, usually through the use of special effects, display a fascination with the vulnerability of the human body and the theatricality of its mutilation. This subgenre, though not really popular here in the country, is a staple in American and Japanese cinema as evident in films like George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead, Eli Roth's Hostel and James Wan's Saw franchise.

This would be the second time that Enchong Dee and Jameson Blake joined the said film festival. Enchong played the lead role in Paano Ko Sasabihin, an official entry to the 2009 Cinema One Originals. Jameson, on the other hand was part of 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten from last year's festival. This is also not the first time that Kip Oebanda became part of the festival. He has previously worked on the call-center romance film Shift by Siege Ledesma in 2013 where he was nominated for Best Editing (Cinema One Currents). Here in Nay, director/ writer Kip Oebanda take on the classic aswang mythology and gives it a fresh, modern look.

Jameson Blake prepares as his head gets casted for the film's FX prosthesis.
Source: @KipOebanda

I was able to visit one of the locations (a bar in Tomas Morato) where they were shooting some scenes for the movie. Based on my observations, Director Kip has a keen eye for detail as he instructs his two lead actors in polishing a bar scene. Both Enchong and Jameson are on their A game despite the tiring shoot. Jameson is focused on perfecting his acting while Enchong looks like he's just having fun playing an aswang. This is not the first time that Enchong starred in a genre flick as he previously played an aswang hunter in the 2012 horror pic The Strangers and as a possessive and murderous zombie lover in the 2016 horror-comedy I Love You To Death. Jameson, on the other hand is currently shooting another horror film entitled Haunted Forest under Regal Films.

Enchong Dee prepares for a scene.

Nay, according to Cinema One, is one of the seven films which were able to "deliver fresh stories with poignant, hilarious and extraordinary accounts that will touch the lives of more diverse audiences." The finalists were picked by the selection committee led by Ronald Arguelles (festival director), Philbert Dy, Rico Gonzales, Oggs Cruz, Jinky Laurel, Kathleen Pador, Richard Bolisay, Sherad Anthony Sanchez, and Jade Castro. All seven finalists received a grant of P3 million to produce their movie and compete in the festival to be held this November 2017, making it the biggest edition of the festival to date. It is no doubt that Nay is one of the most anticipated entries of the festival this year.

The film's official teaser poster.

With "Bar Boys" and "Nay" director Kip Oebanda

With "Nay" star Jameson Blake

With "Nay" star Enchong Dee