Talking Movies

As March bids us farewell, I just have to speak of some movies with very compelling narratives starring women as the lead characters.

1. Joy – For weeks last year after it’s official release in America, this film sat on my laptop, but I'm glad I decided to watch it around the period where we celebrated the international women's day last year because this film spoke to me in different ways. It's the tale of a woman's rise in the world of entrepreneurship. The risks she took, the sacrifices she was willing to make, the discouragement from people and life as well as the disappointment from trusting those she loved. Seeing her sit idle, watching the discussions around her, made the character feel so real/down to earth because it was unlike the image of business savvy women that the world paints as the criteria to succeed in business. It showed the process of learning on the job while being determined to see your creation come to life. Released in 2015 and deemed as comedy Drama (genre), I found little to laugh about because of the nature of the subject matter. Despite being inspired by the actual story of Joy Mangano’s rise to success, there were deviations from the real story such as the fact that she didn't give up her education and she met her husband at the University (Pace University) where she studied Business. Her degree, however, didn't translate into immediate success for her as she still had to work low-end jobs as depicted in the film till she invented the mop. If you are a woman looking to go into entrepreneurship, you’ll enjoy this movie.

2. Room - Usually I judge a film by the first 5 minutes, and as I began this film, I was bored and wondered what the movie had to show that it extended to a full 113minutes (i.e. 1hr 53mins) but for some weird reason, I kept on watching. By 20minutes into the film, I had judged the characters as a prostitute with a child depending on a pimp for survival. An hour into the movie, I was in tears. I was so wrong about this film. This 2015 drama genre was suspenseful and harrowing as it touched on the subject matter of abduction - live in captivity and life afterwards. The trauma was so real that I could hardly believe it was a screen adaptation of a novel bearing the same name as the film, written by Emma Donoghue. It told the tale of a mother's love, how a child could save a mother from herself emotionally by giving her the will to live, it showcased the innocence of a child in the most traumatic situation. When I decide to watch it, I had no idea what the ratings or critics reviews of the movie were. It was kind of interesting to find out that though it didn't do so well in box office upon its release, the number of Award nominations for the film boosted its gross earnings. Made on a $13million budget, it went from a little above $5million after its release in October 2015 showing in 198 theatres to over $14 million in North America and $35million worldwide by April 2016. It ended up winning multiple awards and earning the reputation among critics as one of the best films released in 2015.

3.Hidden Figures - I have some friends who are committed to watching latest movies on a weekly basis, and when they saw this biopic released in December 2016, that was all they could talk about for weeks. When I finally got my hands on this movie, I could understand why. Hidden Figures tell the tale of three African American women who worked at NASA at a time where racial equality was a big deal for the black race. They fought for opportunities using their intelligence/skill and caused a change in their circumstances through unconventional means. Though the movie is a departure from the book (which was a non-fiction piece with the same name), the sensationalised parts brought with it a heightened effect of the triumph of these women. For instance, Katherine Goble/Johnson in real life didn't take 40mins break off work to use the ladies room daily. Neither did Mary Jackson go to a night white only class to earn her engineering degree, she simply asked the city of Hampton, Virginia for an exemption and was granted even though the school ran two parallel systems. Mary Jackson did finish her course, earning her engineering degree and got promoted. Also, Katherine didn't get a one-time opportunity to be part of the editorial meetings because that one meeting was most important, she had to persevere before she got into that circle of planners. These differences do not take away from the film in the least. It is still a powerful movie which I'd advise anyone to watch.

4. Queen of Katwe - A real testament to the strength of a mother's love and the power of holding on to virtue. I know my focus should have been on the journey of the 11year old Ugandan chess champ, Phiona, but I couldn't take my eyes off her mother, Harriet, whose character was played by Lupita Nyong'o. Life dealt her a hard blow, she went from being loved and protected to being widowed and struggling to survive, but she didn't let that dampen her spirit. She did all she could to ensure her children were educated and given the best possible chance in life if they chose the path laid out for them. Yes, she had a black sheep of a daughter, but all just goes to show that our champ's life could have easily swung the other way had she not determined to make something meaningful of her life despite her family background. I could feel the rising discontent Phiona must have felt when she experienced better living conditions. It ate at her for a while, but she turned that pain into a zeal to excel. This film stood out because although it had the typical Disney happy ending, it showed a side of life not usually identified with by Disney and that is a star#'s rise from abject poverty in Africa.

All ordinary women, who were moved to do the impossible according to the dictates of the standard of life familiar to them. These films go to show that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it, you'll find that hard work and determination do pay off and being a woman should not be seen as a limitation. Make use of what you have, strive to be the best version of yourself, and you'll be a reference point to the world someday.

Talking Movies

It’s not everyday ‘goal smashing’ and ‘record-breaking’. Sometimes we need to take a break to relax our minds and souls. And the euphoria of forgetting your present just to be enraptured in a story is one of the great joys of living. Luckily we have people whose passion is to bring other people’s stories to life visually and this is what the movie industry represents… an opportunity to experience a moment in time; whether it is an intense emotional journey, a light-hearted moment of laughter/romance, a fictional world of horror and fear or even a walk through history and time.

I know, you could care less for this preamble but I say all these to say that just because a movie is recently released, doesn’t mean it’s not worth talking about. Every year tons of films are churned out around the world and sticking to latest blockbuster hits sometimes does no justice to all the other great movies that aren’t critically acclaimed. So I shall return back to my habit of sharing films that made an impression on me when I watched them. Starting now:

1.Moana -I’m a huge Disney fan but never has a song so caught my attention that it became the sole reason for hunting down a film. Well maybe this isn’t the first time but it’s a first for me since 2016. I kept seeing clips of the animation from Lira (a south African songstress)’s version of the main soundtrack titled How far I’ll go (which was sung by Auli’I Carvalho in the cartoon) and I kept longing to watch the film. Of course, I hate the cinema rush when a movie is just released so I didn’t go see it then. But watching it now, I’m just in so much awe of this animation. It dealt with a theme of identity, the search to find out who one is meant to be. From the love seeking Maui (voiced by The Rock/Dwayne Johnson) to the dumb chicken, Hay Hay, what’s not to love? Sometimes all we need is one supporter who believes in the road we’ve chosen to follow to allow our hearts roam free and enable us to do great things that can affect all of humanity. The pain of saying goodbye to the familiar just to embrace a calling on the inside while being filled with doubts/questions of if you are on the right path, resonated 100% with me. Then there was the original soundtrack by Mark Macina and all the songs co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa’i, and the diversity (culture of the lead character, Moana) that endeared it to me just the way watching Lilo and Stitch or Pocahontas felt the first time I watched it. If you haven’t seen this animation, please do, it’s really worth watching.

2. Non Stop - from the minute I saw Liam Neeson in mid-air on an airplane from the advert of this movie, I knew I would love it. In this movie an Alcoholic US Air Marshall (who happened to have had a bad turn in his life) boards a transatlantic flight from New York to London which is targeted by two guys trying to make a point, that security is an illusion because no one is truly safe because anything can happen at any time. Once again, it took one person believing in Bill Marks (the lead character) to help him solve the mystery, reveal the culprits and get everyone left out alive. Yes, I said left because a few people did die on the plane before he could get a handle on the situation (he killed one person because of his false suspicion), not to mention the bashing he got from the media. This 2014 Thriller/action film was #1 in the box office outwitting the Lego Movie and Son of God and exceeding its $50millon budget almost four times was rated moderately high by IMDb and Rotten tomatoes as above average. Although, I felt the presence of Lupita Nyong’o was unnecessary in the film because it was an insignificant character struggling for limelight attention. Nonetheless, it's a movie I won’t mind seeing more than once.

3.The Forest - when I chose to watch this 2016 film, I didn’t expect it to have a horror edge. I usually don’t check genres when watching a new movie. But from the first five minutes, I knew the film will play tricks on my mind. To be honest, Taylor Kinney was the main reason I watched this film (no offense to Natalie Dormer, she's also a great actress) because he has this look about him that is kind of suggestive. Although there was nothing unique per say about the film because it was quite predictable - even Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb and Metacritic websites rated it poorly - I loved the notion it portrayed, that when you allow sorrow or sadness into your heart, it gives room to more sinister thoughts to creep in which can lead you to do something life threatening to yourself. Plus I admit, I’m somewhat drawn to the supernatural film genre with psychological twists. So, two identical twin sisters go into Aoikigahara forest popularly known as a suicide forest (this forest actually exists in Japan and yes, people do go there to commit suicide), one to discover the mystery behind the forest and the other to find her twin which people say must be dead because no one who stays that long in the forest makes it out alive. So the question is, did they find each other or did only one of them make it out alive? Watch it and find out for yourself.

4. Boruto - As a Naruto fan, I felt his story was the ultimate, no other spin-off would be worthy of my attention. The first time my manga friends told me to read Boruto, I got bored in the first episode reliving Uzumaki Naruto’s initial Kage Bushin & Rasengan moves through his son who is also a Shinobi. It took me almost a year to get back to it but rather than read, I decided to watch the anime and I fell for it. It may not have all the highs and lows like the Naruto story like the death of Jiraiya or a sneak peak into Kushina and Minato (Naruto’s parents)’s life, but what it holds is a strong narrative of how we can take for granted the little joys of life. Boruto initially came off to me an entitled spoiled kid struggling against the preconceived notion that he was meant to take after his dad and grandad and become Hokage of Konoha. But in all fairness, he was just a kid looking for a way to know his father more, have his dad be proud of him and to have a normal life as one happy family without the burden of responsibilities his father’s job entailed. If you have trouble reading, I suggest you wear your glasses whenever you watch a subtitled anime because it does take a toll on your eyes eventually but it will worth your time.

Last but not least, I’d like to say farewell to an actor whose work I greatly respect. John Hurt. Some of you know him as Gandalf from Lord of the Rings and others as the voice of the dragon in the series Merlin. He has been on our screens for such a long time and now that he is gone I shall sorely miss him.

So what are you waiting for? Embrace the weekend by watching a great movie and do share the details of your recent favourite movies in the comment section. I look forward to hearing

Bridge of Spies: Movie Review or Spoiler Alert?

This 2015 historical drama thriller featuring Tom Hanks and directed by Steven Spielberg is about the Cold War between America and the Soviet Union at the time the Berlin wall was erected. As at the time I had the option of watching it, I had not heard a peep about it. I recall asking my movie friends for heads up and only one of them told me it was not my kind of cinema movie but since I was going with a group of couples, I should suck it up and go with the flow. That I did, and boy was I not disappointed. Apparently it is a critically acclaimed movie with 90% approval by professional movie critics. So what was it about this movie that has got me back to blogging on Movies again? Well, simply put, it is the 'moments' that imprinted on my heart.

There was a part where Tom Hanks asked a profound question which any multi-cultural country like Nigeria needs to keep in mind always - what makes us Citizens of any nation? His answer paraphrased: the fact that we live by a constitution under the same sovereign authority. In the wake of misplaced National Identities in Nigeria (the war on Boko Haram trying to destroy us in North and the Biafrans in the South East agitating for a republic of their own due to perceived marginalization in the current governance system), we need to ask ourselves the same question, what makes us Nigerians?

Another remarkable part of this movie that got me speechless was the fact that the entire movie was based on a true story. One man, James Donovan, in the face of hostility stood by his principles uncompromisingly fighting for the tenets of the constitution to be upheld to all ‘aliens’ or foreign persons regardless of who and what they are. In this era where the fear of terrorists hiding among Syrian refugees to infiltrate countries and cause mayhem has gotten countries closing their borders, this film speaks to the humanity in us. Asking us to treat everyone with dignity and love as we would a fellow countryman. Then there was Mark Rlyance’s character (Rodolf Abel) and Austin Stowell’s character (Francis Gary Powers) who never betrayed their country but were still treated as liabilities to their country’s intelligence agencies. This brought to light the fact that even when you stand strong doing what’s right, people will believe what they choose to. But do right anyway.

I believe Rodolf Abel would have spilled the information the Americans expected from him if only they had shown the same genuine concern for his wellbeing that James Donovan had. Donovan had won his trust so much so that he had begun to slowly open up to him about who was his family and who was a fellow spy and even the code to which Donovan would know how he would be treated by his country on arrival home. This is not to say the Americans didn’t treat Abel better than Powers was treated oversees. The contrast just went on to prove that regardless of what others do, if you know what is right to do, do it anyway. Last but not least in the details that made me hopelessly crazy about this film is the fact James Donovan went on to accomplish greater good for more people just by being true to himself and sticking by what he believed.

In my life I have enjoyed some war & espionage movies; I was introduced to them by my father who had a ravenous desire for historical and biological information and just happened to love war films as much as boxing movies. And thanks to him, I have had the pleasure of watching my two all-time favourite war movies, Schindler’s List (starring Liam Neelson) and Saving Private Ryan (starring Tom Hanks). Although I’ve been told Brad Pitt’s Fury is a remarkable film, I am yet to see it – even though it’s been on my laptop’s desktop for months – because I haven’t been in the mood to watch a war movie. So now you see why I was willing to suck it up and watch Bridge of Spies when I could have been watching Hunger Games: Mocking Jay2 which is topping the box office charts right now. I’ve got to say after Fast and Furious and Spectre 007, Bridge of Spies is among my top five movies for 2015.

Anime

Anime is a term that refers to animations be it 2D or 3D graphics. Yet for some reason, more often than not, it’s become more loosely associated with Japanese productions of Manga (graphic novels/comics created in Japan). This review is on the Japanese anime productions because they showcase colourful graphics, fusion of genres, vibrant characters and unforgettable themes. They focus more on realism of setting, emotive eyes, weird character proportions, adult themes, and intriguing angles of shots as well as remarkable effects that feel like panning and zooming of an actual camera lens.

With the level of violence portrayed, these are definitely not for kids or young teenagers. The anime genre mainly combines fantasy with shonen, supernatural, drama, action, comedy, etc .You ask why am I reviewing them? It’s simple, I enjoy watching them.

So here are a few out of many:

1. Naruto – Written by Masashi Kishimoto, this story held readers the world over spell bound for years until it was concluded last year. It tells the story of a young boy – Naruto- who was raised an orphan, desperate for attention and acknowledgement due to the fact that he was castigated and how he rose above it, conquering even the evil within himself. Driven by passion, love and empathy for others (including the enemies he fought), Naruto’s evolution from boy to man will keep you captivated. The story is full of emotional challenges, lost visions, bonds of friendships, loss of mentors and loved ones, fights scenes of technique versus talent, wisdom versus instinct and best of all, the battle of good against evil. Needless to say, this is one of my favourite manga and anime of all time.

2. Bleach – Get ready for a spiritual journey as the concept of death and the afterlife as well as realms outside human existence are dabbled into. Tite Kubo, the creator of this story, starts with the tale of a young boy (Ichigo) who begins to see things no one else does. He encounters Rukia who shows him a world beyond the physical and soon they have a team of humans with superhuman abilities that can cross worlds, battle evil even within the realms of the heavenlies. Watching Ichigo train and become one of the most powerful beings is just as interesting as falling inlove with the other characters whose self struggles remind us of our own inner turmoil. It does get a little boring after a while but the characters are the one thing that’ll keep you going.

3. Claymore – This original story by Norihiro Yagi is a 26 episode sci-fi tale about a world ravaged by flesh eating demons called yomas - some territorial, others loners – who can sometimes disguise themselves as humans and live among them. There is an organization that is sworn to protect humanity at a cost of course, not just monies paid to them by communities they help but by recruiting young children and infusing them with yoma flesh and blood so they can become claymores, having the strength, speed and agility of a yoma while still being part human. Over dependence on yoma powers invariably awakens the claymores and turns them into yomas eventually. To hide this fact, the organization developed a code which is kill the warriors before they turn. In all this is the tale of a young claymore who ingested the blood and flesh of another claymore thereby making her unique. She learns that she can control her yoma side and doesn’t have to kill other claymores who have ‘awakened’. Bent on revenge against yomas, she finds that being able to love and share her life with a human makes her more human than monster and hence finds a cause worth living for.

4. Kenichi the Mightiest disciple – This funny series is about a teenage boy with teenage issues who is encouraged by a skilled female fighter to join a dojo (Ryozanpaku, in particular) in his personal quest to find some courage and sense of self worth after years of being a victim of bullies. Here he’s taught different forms of martial arts by masters in the different art forms and the stronger he gets, the more attention he gets from a street gang (Ragnorock) who want to recruit him. The more people he fights, the more people he removes from the gang by inspiring them to follow their true passions and stop being delinquents. The original comic book created by Syun Matseuna and every bit of its 50 episodes, is more fun than serious.

5. One Piece – This anime created and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda is filled with diverse characters with outlandish super powers in a world where being a pirate is both a thing of honour and a crime. Young wannabe pirates set out on an adventure with different agendas but along the way get unified by a common feeling of companionship. Together they help those in need, liberate lands from oppression, change the perception people have of pirates and overcome impossible odds all because of their steadfast determination reach to their personal goals. They stand by each other and those they regard as ‘nakama’ and together they triumph. One piece is light-hearted with good fight scenes; full of weird adventures as they travel down the Grand Line and exceedingly long (over 900 episodes with different arcs of different stories just like Naruto and Bleach). This is not an anime you can watch in a hurry.

I would tell you more (like Magi, Fairytail, Codebreaker, Blue Exorcist, Legend of Korra, Akame ga kill, Blade and Soul, Halo Legends, etc) but that would take forever. Maybe I’ll write another post later on other anime I have watched and enjoyed so you can know why I love them. These make for good distractions and now you know why sometimes I spend forever before a putting up a new post. *covers face in shame*.

Movie review (Nollywood)

I can see all my Nollywood fans jumping for joy after pleading with me for so long to do this (Nigerian Movies’ Review). Unlike my skeptics, I do not intend to bash the millions of Nollywood home videos ever produced, I simply just want to tell of the few Nigerian films I have actually enjoyed or have left an indelible mark on me that I can never forget.

I’ve never been a fan of Nollywood Movies though I admit we do have some fantastic actors and actresses in the business whose names are enough to make me sit down for at least 30mins of whatever film they act that I stumble upon (because really I don’t go out of my way to watch Nollywood Movies), people such as Olu Jacobs, Joke Silva, Desmond Elliot, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Pete Edochi, Omoni Oboli, just to mention a few. I have even had the pleasure of organizing a photo session for Tontoh Dikeh back then when she was just starting out and parted away with a $100 gift from her. Lol.

All these to prove that I do respect the work of our Nigerian Movie Industry even though I’m among the few Nigerians who aren’t entrapped by tribalism, the glory days of culture before colonization or a definitive art form. I was raised in an environment of whites, exposed to western cultures at an early age and in turn, I have a wide appreciation from a variety of art forms. Well, enough about me, back to my review.

Nigeria is rated among the top three movie producing industries in the world within the likes of Bollywood and Hollywood in terms of quantity of movies churned out so it means we must be doing some things right. Here are a few impressionable movies I’ve encountered:

1. Last Flight to Abuja – ‘stroked’ by many for the heavy dependence on green screen effect (weak explosions and flying simulated scenes) and multiple flashbacks, I find this movie interesting. Its inspiration was drawn from the multiple aviation mishaps that had shocked the Nigerians into focusing on the need to improve our aviation sector (e.g. Sosoliso and Arik airline crashes as far back as 2007/2008). Directed in 2012 by award winning director Obi Emelonye (a Nigerian who studied Theatre arts and film in Nigeria before going to the UK where he studied and practiced Law then ventured back into film making in 2008; who also became one of the few Nigerians whose film (Mirror Boy) was a critical and commercial success as well as one of the few to be seen in a film festival outside Nigeria), starred the likes of Hakeem Kae-Kazim, a Nigerian born who has made great strides in Hollywood and is best known for his roles in the movie Hotel Rwanda and the Jack Bauer series, 24. The film had good casting; believable dialogue, meaningful scenes which made the film feel rich and I must say it was full of ingenuity. Kudos.

2. Ije (the journey) – from the minute I saw the preview of this movie starring Nigerian’s top 2 actresses (Genevieve and Omotola) I knew I would love this film because my curiosity was stirred. Released in 2010, this film won Best Editing at Treasure Coast International Film Festival and Best International Student film at Swansea Bay film festival in Wales, that same year. It wasn’t edited by Nigerians but it was directed, co-written and co-produced by Chineze Anyaene (a Nigerian) and had one other Nigerian actor in it (Clem Ohameze) alongside many foreign actors. Most of the scenes were shot in America but for me the movie stood out because of the social issues it subtly dealt with (the pitfalls desperate Nigerian girls fall into when in Diaspora) without being preachy. Staged around a murder trial and the justice system as it affects Africans in other countries, I found the beginning a bit boring because the narrator sounded like someone reading a script rather than someone facing the camera to tell a story. Yet I found the balance between the romance and actual criminal case to be quite refreshing. Well done.

3. Figurine (Araromire) – I have a weakness for the supernatural and when someone recommended I watch this film, I had no idea this film was about that and that Nigeria could pull of the storyline as well as they did. But why wouldn’t they when they had a good script written by Kemi Adesoye and a fantastic cast starring Ramsey Nouah, Omoni Oboli, the director himself, Kunle Afolayan, and Lagbaja as the narrator. This film grossed over 30,000,000naira at the box office and was met with wide critical acclaim when it was released at Rotterdam International film festival in 2009. It went on to win multiple awards (5 out of its 10 nominations) at the 6thAfrican Movie Academy Awards organized also in 2009 - and was held in Gloryland Cultural centre in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State- including Best Achievement in Cinematography and Visual Effects and also Best Picture. The idea of basing the story around University friends going off to NYSC as well as life after National Youth Service Corps, gave the story an originality that allowed the actors transform on screen as multiple angles and timelines were shot. This movie reminded me of the kind of stories I like to write and inspired me to work harder on my supernatural thriller genre.

4. TV Dramas – Well, I couldn’t stop without mentioning a few TV dramas that made way for Nollywood industry which began to bloom in the 1990s with home videos like Living in Bondage, Sacobi the snake girl, etc. Without the likes of Hot cash - popular remembered as Willy Willy - (a supernatural suspense drama on a nephew whose aunty killed him in a ritual to make money and his spirit came back to haunt her till her demise), Village Headmaster (a comedy series about school life in post colonial era), Behind the Clouds (adrama series about a family and how they adjust to changes in life), Tales by Moonlight (a children’s program that brought folklore to life with drama), Ripples, New Village Masquerade, CheckMate, etc as well as recent TV series like Clinic Matters (a comedy series based on life working in a Nigerian hospital), Super story (a drama collection of different stories of happenings in Nigeria in form of fiction), Everyday People, Family Circle and so much more, Nollywood would never have come to be. These TV series exposed us to the talents and variety of genres that Nigerians embraced and made it possible for us to not view our movies as second rate products not worthy of purchase. Through these dramas, acting talents are discovered like Ego Boyo, Richard Mofe Damijo (aka RMD), Carol King, Ignis Ikwe, Ireti Doyle, Nkiruka ‘Kiki’ Omeli, and a few others.

There are many more great works out there and as I expose myself to them, I’ll keep you informed. I have a ton of writer/director friends who are doing amazing things in Nollywood and I can’t wait to tell their stories. The likes of Ejiro Onobrakpor who has taken his stage dramas to movie level with his hit movie, A Few Good Men starring Kate Henshaw, and created the TV show e-box inspiring; and Stanley Ohikhuare who has put his animation projects (like Lifespan – the tale of some Niger Delta Mosquitoes) on hold since 2007 *weeping* to become a household name in creating award winning short films like Loop, Verdict, Oblivious and the comedy skit, Horn-Free Day which right now has earned him 11 nominations in the upcoming African Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) 2014. Particular Kudos to the TV series (Tinsel, Dowry and Bachelors) created Victor Sanchez Aghahowa, as well as his internet web series #howsheleftmybrother, which proved that Nigerian writers are capable of producing so much more than we’ve enjoyed in the past. Even an old secondary school buddy who I used to party with back in the day, Jay-Franklin Jituboh, has done some remarkable work worthy of note like the movie, Caught starring upcoming actors like Tamara Isibor and Henry Ohikhuare (yes, Stanley’s younger brother) and IBK Spaceshipboi’s video, Loving you.

And last but not least, rising stars Xavier Ighorodje, writer of the documentary Will of Iron that won the Short Film Challenge and may get a chance to be shown at the Sundance film festival as well as the movie script Them and Us recently produced by themandus.vhx.tv; and also Greygon Avwokuruaye (who has worked with Entertainment Afrique and Amoeba 3), whose works are going to blow your mind. If you haven’t taken an interest in Nollywood, now’s a good time to start.

Movie Review & Spoiler

I haven’t done this in a while because I have been enjoying too many cinema movies, Japanese anime and TV series as well as mobile downloaded movies. After so much, I’m in the mood for some spoilers. Here goes:

1. Godzilla – In one sentence, it is a glorified mock-buster on a larger production scale than its counterparts e.g. Sharknado. It is the story of two ancient creatures that woke up to mate but are being stopped by a dinosaur while humans scramble around trying to obliterate them with their military prowess which just happens to be the creatures’ meal. I’m glad I didn’t waste hard earned cash watching this in a cinema. I advise you to watch this only when you are bored.

2. Transcendence – The story of the pros and cons of using technology to explore the potentials of the human mind alongside a tale of undying love among scientific-minded lovers. For all its hype it is more sci-fi than drama (genre); it reminded me of Tom cruise’s Minority Report. This movie opened my eyes to what blind faith in those we love can cause (it creates a monster that cannot be tamed) and in the end I couldn’t tell if the lead character was human or computer generated. I advise you watch this at home with a large flat screen TV.

3. Divergent – It had the feel of Susan Collins’ Hunger Games adaptation, maybe because it’s an adaptation from a bestselling novel as well. While it is simply the story of a young girl trying to find herself in a class system that kills out anyone who dares to be different, it is also about parents supporting their children in their life choices and being willing to sacrifice their all to save them if necessary. It was a young adult genre with a few popular actors and actresses like Shailene Woodley, Jodie foster and Kate Winslet. I actually enjoyed this movie even though the end left more to be desired. I just pray there’s no part two because I won’t watch it.

4. Blended – Another comedy film by the dynamic duo - Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. The tale of a bad date gone wrong that continues on a family vacation in Africa. I would say they at some point the comedy felt unreal like the part where the girl deliberately threw out the rubber slippers false external breast implants. Some funny parts were repeated like the walking down the stairs and certain soundtracks playing in people’s head. My favorite character was Terry Crew and the male singing/mocking choir, they were just hilarious.

5. Half of a Yellow Sun – So far this has been the most anticipated Nigerian movie not only because it was am original Nigerian tale played by Stellar award winning Hollywood actors but also because of its ban. It was the first Nigerian movie I have ever watched in a cinema. But I must say, even though it is a cinema must watch it did come across like a documentary with the use of real life clips from Ojukwu’s speech and so much focus being placed on the historical part of the story and sexual nuances of the characters. It made it hard to connect with the characters on a deeper level. Even though I haven’t read the book, I did find a strong need to do so after watching this movie as it is obvious a lot of important details were taken out to make the film as commercial as it was (like why the lead character was called a revolutionary lover – I didn’t think a few heated conversations were enough to brand him as a revolutionary). I must say besides making me angry at Ojukwu’s desire for self preservation at the expense of the many lives of the Ibo people who were lost & torn apart, it left me wondering why he was celebrated in his death.

6. Angriest Man in Brooklyn – This is the story of a pissed young medical doctor who happens to be sarcastic with the diagnosis of an annoying patient and the fear of imminent death makes the patient realize what a messed up life he’s lived as he discovers the infidelity of his wife, comes to terms with non-existent relationship with his son, hatred of his friends and generally the fact that he’s an unbearable someone. In the end he dies in peace as the messed up doctor helps him find the missing pieces of his and her life. An ironic film to watch in view of the recent passing of its main character Robin Williams by suicide, so glad he has three new movies to be released in December that’ll help us remember him in a positive happy light.

Time won’t permit me to share all I’ve watched since my last movie talk. Hope these suffice.

5 SPECIAL THINGS NEEDED FOR A STAGE PLAY

Bet, you are thinking, I know what she’s going to write. Beyond the usuals which is finance, actors, a script and props, there are a couple of things that are just as important and have direct impact on the success of your play. Over the years, I have featured in numerous stage plays starting from my first pantomime at age 9 and if there is anything acting has taught me, it is that a lot more goes into making a stage performance go smoothly. They are:

1. Mics – as long as you have dialogue, you’ll definitely need these. Not just any regular unidirectional microphone with Chord but clip-on mics and chordless mics that can be strapped on unnoticeably. Of course you can and should use multidirectional and condensed mics which can be hanged or placed above the stage to help actors when they project. Once a scene is done with, the sound operators should ensure that the mics are switched off along with the stage lights so that the backstage talk or noises do not get heard by the audience.

2. Makeup artists, wardrobe assistant and hairstylist – depending on the theme and era your play is staged in as well as the transitions in scenes from the script that may require different looks, you need these people to make your play believable. For instance to make a character look sick, the makeup artist can give the person nude lips and pale skin while the hairstylist can scatter the persons hair to look bedridden and the wardrobe assistant can dress the person in slightly wrinkled/ruffled clothing to show restlessness from all the turns on bed while asleep or damp tops to show the person drenched in sweat.

3. Extras – the actors on stage will delay scenes immensely if there are no backstage helpers to handle things like moving stage props, switching unidirectional mics on actors going on stage for different scenes, setting the stage by building different sets, prompters that help the actors remember their lines or sequence of the script by queuing them in or those handling the stage lights to create ambience. And all these various manpower need to be coordinated by a stage manager who no one will ever see on the stage. These people are so important because their work begins as soon as the script is written, during the rehearsals as well as before, during and after the stage play. They make sure all the little logistical details needed are sorted out appropriately.

4. Sound specialists – having microphones doesn’t guarantee that the audio of the drama is in the clear. Sound specialists are the ones who take into cognizance the nature of the hall and how the types of speakers enhance the sound/voicing from the stage which can affect how drama experience is received. They also make sure the interference from multiple electronics being used is at an all time low and ensure certain scores and sound effects are properly timed and played to give the drama a realist-feel. That way there are no echoes or hollow sounds in the hall being used and the mood of the drama is on point without people’s ear suffering from irritation or partial deafness due to loud/poor volume control.

5. Audience – what’s a drama without you, the audience? All the preparation and work put in by the production team would mean nothing without a sizable crowd that appreciate all that is being done. That’s why so much effort is put into publicity because in the end, the aim is to create a satisfying experience for the members of the audience.

This list is in no way conclusive because as times change, a lot more changes in the creation of a satisfying stage play experience like the introduction of live animation. Feel free to contribute any other observation you have about stage play production.

My first Movie Review for 2014

So in 2013, my last review made mention of some films I just couldn’t write a one line summary about but between then and now, so many new movies have been released like the Hobbit2, Blue Jasmine, Wolf of Wall Street, American Hustle, Frozen, Cloudy with a chance of Meatball 2, Inception 2, etc. I’ll try to do my best incorporating current movies into my list. So, here it goes:

1. Great Gatsby - I love everything about this movie – the ambiance, the plot, the couture, the choice of cast – especially the soundtracks which I heard long before the movie came out. This film is the fifth movie adaptation of the 1925 novel written by American novelist Scott Fitzgerald. It did so well in the box office as it ranked second to Iron Man 3 in its opening week. It’s such a powerful story that ballets, opera, graphic novels and even computer games have been made from it over the years. Kudos to the cast, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Amitabh Bachchan and Elizabeth Debicki, for an excellent performance. I hoped Leonardo Dicaprio would actually win a Golden Globe Award for this movie after numerous nominations in the past but it turns out he won Best lead actor for AACTA Award from the Australian Film Institute for this movie instead. At least he was able to secure an 2014 Golden Globe for the black comedy Wolf of Wall Street, a true life story which was released on the 25th of December 2013.

2. The Conjuring – I don’t know why I’m drawn to movies made from real life events experienced by real people. This movie is captivating from the first supernatural manifestation to the last. Movie review sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritics rated it highly as a well done horror movie which was in the same category with originals like Exorcists and Poltergeist. It was produced by New Line cinemas and distributed by Warner Bros. This movie is one among others (e.g. Amityville Horror and Insidious) which is based on the lives of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Ed passed away on August 23rd, 2006 but Lorraine is still alive). Their paranormal investigations of Demons led them to prominent cases of haunting.

3. Now you see me – This movie is one in a long line of movies that explore the actual concept of illusions rather than the dramatic. As some critics described it, it’s the modern day Robin Hood story. The characters were simply amazing in their performance, the storyline and its twists were perfect and the magical effects were taught to the actors by the great David Copperfield, the world’s greatest illusionist. Many critics claimed it was a terrible movie, citing change in camera positions by certain actors as seen during one or two scenes but for me, if the movie was produced in May 2013 at an estimated $75million and by September it had grossed over $117million in USA only, I call it a success and a must watch.

4. Las Vegas – The veterans of Hollywood finally came together to make a light hearted comedy movie that explored the subjects of how older citizens deal with old age and romance. The dialogue was hilarious and believable and just thinking of this film makes me smile. This film reminded me of how I felt when I heard my grandmother - who has been a great grandma for almost a decade now - had a crush on a Doctor she met in the UK during a medical appointment and it gave me a realistic picture of how that was remotely possible. It was such a pleasure to have the likes of Michael Douglas, Robert Di Nero, Morgan Freeman and Kelvin Kline star in a movie directed by Jon Turteltaub (also the Director of National Treasure & A Sorcerer’s Apprentice) and even though it felt like an older version of The Hangover franchise, it’s still a must watch.

5. Runner Runner – This crime thriller started out very mundane and kinda stretched out till towards the end. Once the film was done, I could see why Leonardo DiCaprio opted to be one of the producers of this movie. Sometimes in the face of seeming truth, people choose to believe what seats best with their consciences. Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake put up quite a performance and the beauty of using intellectual knowledge in every day occupation was well highlighted. I usually don’t like sharing the plots of movies so as not to discourage anyone from watching it but it’s necessary for me to mention here that the lead character, Richie, was a former worker on Wall Street whose history of a lucrative career there, hindered his ability to get funds/tuition assistance at Princeton University where he set out to do his Masters degree. That’s how his journey into the world of crime and police bullying begins. Too bad there wasn’t any real running as the title suggested.

6. Captain Philips - Once again, Tom Hanks delivers an award winning performance as he showed us the emotions of the character in this movie. Beyond being a true life story for which the man in question is truly grateful for having his life spared, it was the first movie in a long while that made me shed tears. In the face of a death threat, all Captain Philip could think of was his family and how to save lives even that of his enemy. A straight forward plot but as with all good dramas, we get to see reality in a different light because the actors brought more to light by their understanding of the roles they played. This movie I would watch again any other day.

That’s all for now folks. Till our next review, do make out time to relax at the cinema or at home with a great movie.

2013 3rd quarter Movie review

In my last review, I did mention a ton of movies I had watched but didn’t have the time to review and you can bet by now I’ve watched a whole lot more. So for this piece, I’ll be tackling two categories of movie reviews; the movies worthy of in-depth review and those not worthy of any more than a couple of lines. I’ll start with the latter.

Category 1

1. Justice League (Flashpoint Paradox) – Not a cartoon for children or teenagers at all. The level of violence is off the chain plus it was the story of a parallel universe. Quite enjoyable.

2. Evil Dead – A nice remake according to critics but for me, it was just boring. The horror was gross. Also try watching the end without sound, just whack; pitiful really.

3. Looper – As confusing as its title but amazing just a love story with a less than memorable ending.

4. Iron Man 3 – Awesome!!! Nice twist at the end, tight plot, great stunts, fantastic performance by the cast and it’s truly a cinema worthy movie.

5. Elysium – Yawn. A colossal waste of time. Interesting story, slow paced and too much action that left me dosing off in different parts of the movie till it ended.

6. R.I.P.D. – A poor remake of the idea behind Men In Black even though the producers would say the two films have nothing in common. In the words of my brother (nick name Emandes), the film went “from a tight anticipated movie to a dumb sad boring whack spoof-like movie.”

7. Incredible Burt Wonderstone – It started out as a dull movie when compared to other films on magic like Now You See Me or the Illusionist. But in the end, it had a nice moral ring to it as it showed the pitfalls of letting success get to your head. I won't recommend you go out of your way to watch it though. It's the kind of movie you watch when you are bored.

8. Red 1&2 – I don’t know what the critics at Rotten Tomatoes were talking about when RED 2 came out but I enjoyed it just as much as the RED 1. Compared to part 1, part 2’s storyline might not have been as exciting but the stunts and extra characters made up for it. I loved it all the same.

9. Pacific Rim – Interesting. It’s like merging Real Steel with Aliens Vs predators. I couldn’t take my eyes off Idris Elba, for the first time I was really impressed with his character. Slightly clichéd dialogue. It had its ‘Hollywood’ moments that reminded me of Deep Blue Sea yet I failed to connect emotionally with this movie. I wonder why.

10. Pain and Gain – A funny movie except that it was a true life event and that kinda took the fun out of the movie for me. Loved the choice of actors that played the lead characters and the director’s reason for shooting this movie. In the end, it was simply to show the repercussions of taking motivational teachings too far.

I’m so eager to give you category two with in-depth reviews but on the advice of my little sister, I’ll leave it at category 1 for now and maybe next month, I’ll share category two with you.

As the last Muslim break for the year comes around, do make an effort to relax and spend time with your loved ones.

Movie talk

So half of the year is already gone and with the frenzy to make meaning of our lives before the year ends, many of us have become too busy to kick off our shoes, relax on our couches and have ourselves a nice movie time. Yeah, some of you especially those in Lagos have visited the cinema different weekends but with the speed at which hit movies are being released coupled with our stagnant incomes and steep budget, you may not get the chance to watch certain entertaining movies. So here’s my bit in making your choice a lot easier.

1. White House Down – Besides the fact that Jamie Foxx played the president plus some of Channing Tatum’s character's choices were 'so Hollywood', this movie was an absolute delight to watch. It brought back a bit of the feeling I had watching Air force One (where Harrison Ford played the president hijacked in mid air). It had a perfect blend of emotional moments, comedy and action sequences. Unlike Olympus has Fallen which failed to capture my heart with its first scene (with the death of Ashley Judd), the realistically built white house set made this movie believable and Emily's bravery (played by Joey King) reminded me of why Journalists deserve respect.

2. The Purge – Sounds like a horror movie right? Well, it might not be freaky or paranormal in a horror sense but it redefined the definition of horror by posing a probable scenario – the dedication of 12 hours of one day in a whole year to legalize crime so as to ensure the society remains peaceful in the long run. It kinda reminds me of 30 Days of Night (starring Josh Hartnett) not necessarily in it's execution but in making me wonder what would happen if that scenario really did happen in modern times. Now whenever a movie seems plausible I’m going to be truly horrified. What really scared me about this movie was not the level of violence (because I didn’t consider it violent at all, just a bit too clichéd especially with Ethan Hawk as one of the lead character) but the thought that the heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it? If all human beings were allowed to ‘cleanse’ their souls by acting out every negative imagination in their heart towards those who have hurt them one way or another, the world will truly be an inhabitable place to live. Thank God the actually possibility of legalized crime does not exist.

3. A Thousand Words – Eddie Murphy is back y’all but not in the capacity you remember him. He’s known for being a funny blabber mouth (remember he's the voice of Donkey in Shrek) and for the first time, he had to shut up and be funny. The idea alone made me want to watch this movie. This just reminds me of how flat Chris Tucker’s jokes were at the 2013 BET Awards, he and Chris Rock should be grateful to the likes of Eddie who paved the way for them in the movie industry. In the end the movie was all about learning to value your words, being deliberate about the choice of words you speak because in the multitude of words, sin is not far off.

4. Chasing Mavericks – In Nigeria surfing isn’t really a sport majority of the populace care about so it’s easy to understand if this movie holds no appeal. Just like Coach Carter, this movie is an inspirational tale based on the true story of Jay Moriarity, a young surfer, who achieved a historic milestone at the age of 16 and drowned in the Maldives 7 years later while free diving. This biographical drama released in 2012 shows the importance of mentorship; starring Gerald Butler as the mentor, Frosty, and Jonny Weston who played Jay in the movie. This film shows how through hard work and commitment, despite personal tragedy, dreams can be achieved.

5. Odd Thomas - I have never heard of Stephen Sommers before this movie but when I saw the sentence, ‘based on a novel by Dean Koontz’ I just knew this would be a great movie. Ever read the book or watched the movie, The Sphere? Yeah, he - Dean - did that. Back to Stephen Sommers, apparently he not only directed the movie, he also wrote the screenplay. The emotional ending was the most endearing part of this movie for me. The storyline was fantastic and for a paranormal freak like myself, I couldn’t help sitting at the edge of my seat with a big toothed grin as light hearted humour and narration kept the movie from being too dark and gloomy.

6. The Croods - This animation felt like a waste of time to me despite the fact that I understand they were trying a new angle; unlike Happy Feet 2 which was once again delightful though not as attention grabbing as its first installment. Yes, the Croods is visually stunning and the variation of species indicative of evolution has the hallmark of a true Dreamworks production. However, my beef was with the modern day American attitude and feel the characters had which to me made the whole primitive concept look weak, even though lots of critics praised it highly. Summary of my thoughts: Lovely message of adaptability, overcoming fear and letting go but not worth raving about.

There are so many more movies I've watched recently that i would have loved to talk about like Evil Dead, Red, Incerdible Burt Wonderstone, Looper, Lone Ranger, Justice League(The Flashpoint Paradox), oblivion, Man of Steel and Iron Man 3 just to name a few. Maybe my next review would simply be a couple of lines on each of these movies so I can cover much more. For more on my reviews, you can check me out on Rotten Tomatoes. Until then, do take out time to relax on weekends by watching a good movie. Chao!