Review of London Premiere of Mum, Dad meet Sam

The movie Mum, Dad meet Sam premiered at the Genesis Cinema Whitechapel on Saturday 6^th December 2014. Prominent on the red carpet were Joseph Benjamin, Helen Gold, HRH Theodora Ibekwe- Oyebade and Chief Ayo Oyebade, Malcolm Benson, Tiyike Alayande, DJ Abass, Danny Erskine, Florence Blaster Okonkwo,Nonso Nwaiwu cast and crew of the movie amongst others. Also showing support and appearing were Nollywood Prolific Director Obi Emenloye, Producer Sollins Archie-Pearce and TV Presenter and fashionista Mary Shittu.

Storyline: Josiah Abiola is at the peak of his career. The only thing left is to find the perfect girl to settle down with. Samantha Smith is stunning, intelligent and perfect. They meet and fall in love. They might just be perfect for each other. He decides to take her home to meet his family in Nigeria.

What is supposed to be a special occasion turns out to be their worst nightmare. Throw in a cocktail of a devious ex-girlfriend, an over protective, overdramatic mother, and the fact that Sam is English and you have a recipe for an explosive and disastrous encounter ripe with awkwardness and hilarity.

I must confess that this was comedy at its best. The storyline again is one that should really be told. It reflects the ancient ways of thinking (which still happens today) of how mothers are protective of their children and a Nigerian man marrying a white lady was a no no. The storyline was clear right from the beginning to the end and the viewers like myself were in no doubt as to what was happening. I commend the script writer. Nollywood is a developing industry and the stories being told need to be relevant. This was not only a relevant story, but was also humorous.

Cast: The movie showcased Joseph Bemjamin, A Dot Comedian, Daniella Down, Helen Gold, Anthony Ofoegbu, Edith Nwekenta, HRH Theodora Ibekwe Oyebade amonst others. The movie was written and produced by Segilola Ogidan, Edith Nwekenta and Directed by Tony Sebastian Ukpo.

In my view, there was a good balance in the cast. A Dot the Comedian playing Fola made the movie more comical, playing the role of a typical loud Nigerian man in London. Joseph Benjamin playing Josiah played (and very well too) the role of an obedient son, there was Helen Gold playing the typical Nigerian mother, Edith Nwekenta playing Morenike the typical ex and jealous girlfriend, Daniella Down playing the role of a gullible Sam. I believe the entire cast understood the script and complimented one another. I give kudos to the Director for ensuring the cast told the story appropriately but at the same time not losing the elements of comedy.

Picture Quality: Picture quality in some scenes were not too good. An example was at the Lagos airport. Overall, the picture quality was good but not excellent and as a reviewer and critic for such a good film, I would like to see a use of more 21^st century images. The use of a professional cinematographer would have taken the film to the highest pedestal. However, as with most Nollywood movies, funding may have been an issue, but personally, I would like to see greater images in future productions.

Sound Quality: At the beginning of the movie, the sound for mum was a bit distant. Also, the sound at the Lagos airport was not too good. In some cases, Fola seemed to be far from mic and ended up shouting. I know his role was to be a loud person, but if he was closer to the mic or if the sound was very good, there would have been elements of control in my view that would not have made it look as if he was shouting.

Overall performance:  The house that was meant to be in Lagos, was obviously in London. Lagos is a hot country and they do not need heaters to keep warm as it is naturally hot, rather they need air conditioners to keep cool. The Director may not have noticed, but good as the house was, we kept seeing heaters!!

I also did not realise that Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos had a car park as depicted in the movie. Obviously scenes depicted as being in Lagos were obviously shot in London or in the UK. I know that part of the movie was shot in Lagos, the market scene. The Director should have made efforts to ensure that they got locations in Lagos to shoot the Airport scene and the house in Lagos.

Also as a reviewer and critic, I must be picky especially when the movie was so good. Mum prepared cooked food for her son and packed it into his luggage for him to eat. It was not clear where he was going to eat the food, bur definitely not when he got to London as the food would be spoilt Just a little thought!!The movie was very comical with the entire cast contributing.

The final question I always ask as a reviewer and critic is if I would recommend the movie. Without blink in an eye or thinking twice about it, the answer is a categorical YES. The good thing about this movie is that anyone from any part of the world can watch and follow the story. It was comical and the truth is that it was a 2 hours well spent. I would recommend and I do not do this often that this movie should be shown in cinemas around the world. With good marketing, I believe that it would be a hit and would do the Nollywood industry proud.

All that is left for me to say is a big well done to the cast and crew of the movie, all the time that was spent on making the movie was well spent. Just to be clear, I would pay for an evening out with my wife to go watch this movie if it ever comes to the cinemas in the UK. Well done!!

Watch the trailer:

http://mdms-movie.com/videos/

Review of London Premiere of Afua's Diary

The movie Afuas Diary premiered at the Odeon Cinema Greenwich on Friday 5^thDecemmber 2014. Prominent on the red carpet were Cleopatra Wood, Fabio Abraham, Bibi Owusu-Shabholt, Ben Owusu, cast and crew of the movie, DJ Abass Danny Erskine, Riyike Alayande, Nelson Spyke, HRH Theodora Ibekwe Oyebade and Chief Ayo Oyebade. Also present at the premiere was prolific Nollywood Director Obi Emenlonye and his wife Amaka amongst others.

There were two things about this premiere that struck me and I must comment on them. Firstly, the premiere started early and finished early which is not usually the case with premieres held at the Odeon Cinema. The organisers took the risk to pay for premium time and in spite of heavy traffic on the day, the attendance was encouraging. Secondly, the setting for the red carpet was second to none that I have seen since I started to watch Nollywood or African premieres. There may not have been many known names but the setting was professional and almost akin to what you would see in Hollywood premieres. It was the best red carpet setting that I have seen so far. Having said all that, let us take a look at the movie itself.

Storyline: Alan Freeman is an Italian businessman who has suffered a bitter divorce. His ex wife was a South African woman who left him after she was given the right to stay in the UK. This divorce is affecting every facet of his life till he meets Afua Forson Brown.

Afua Forson Brown is a stunning African girl whose life is a catalogue of problems. She has a lazy, arrogant and aggressive boyfriend who depends on her for everything and an alcoholic father in Ghana who comes up with outrageously childish reasons to extort money from her. In addition to this, her visa is near expiration.

As Afua and Alan meet and fall in love, Afua’s problems become a big threat to their relationship. The movie was written by Bibi Owusu-Shadbolt and directed by Ben Owusu. 

The storyline centres around Afua who has been in the UK since she was 19. She has immigration challenges and has been refused leave to remain in the United Kingdom. The issue of immigration and amnesty, one that is a major issue in this part of the world is highlighted in this movie. The issue of arranged marriages where one of the parties gets married to the other to get their immigration status is also highlighted. The issue of illegal working and fines aid for employing those with no right to remain were also highlighted.

The other major theme was around  love and how destiny can bring people together. It showcased how a broken heart can change the life of a person especially when he feels his heart has been broken not once but twice.

In my view, I give credit to the script writer. The storyline was relevant and straight forward. Everyone that watched the movie could understand where the story was heading. The good thing about the movie was that the storyline was not dragged on or prolonged and went straight to the point.

Cast: The movie showcased Cleopatra Wood, KSM Kwaku Sintim Misa,  Fabio Abraham, Franciska Bijou-Steiner, Zion Johnson, Alexander Arthur, Louis Hyde, Richard Goble and Nataylia amongst others

What can I say about KSM? Natural actor, greedy father but he nailed the role, in other words, he played the role excellently. When I started to watch the movie initially, my first thoughts were that Fabio was doing a movie for the first time. His role was pivotal and central that I felt that initially, he did not capture the role. An example was where he got angry and threw his phone on the floor. To me that looked like play acting. It was not natural and did not convince me. It looked like he was just reading from a script and then following the script with his acting. I think he should have used his natural accent as he was not really good in trying to force an accent. I think gradually he got into the role and he improved eventually, but in my honest opinion, I think someone like him who is novel (he did his best, don’t get me wrong) should not have been cast for such a lead role. He should have been given a lesser role.

Cleopatra was just natural actress that played the role so well. She was the centre of the story and you could see innocence and inexperience in the role she played and empathise with her as if it was in real life. There were some scenes that I expected a bit better from her to carry that role but all in all, I am not sure if this is her first production or first major role, but I give her credit and I think she carried the storyline as a gullible young Ghanaian girl that was looking for love and wanting a better life for her.

There were some supporting members of the cast that did well. I see that young boy with more tutelage and proper direction as being a potential star in the future. The friend to Afua, I am not sure about the accent, I think the wrong accent was chosen for her, but in terms of playing the role of a close friend, I think she did well, could have been better though!

Some of the minor characters like the police crew and even the Registrar were more or less just scripting and not really acting. In my view, acting should be with passion for the role, big or small and the viewer should believe what the cast is trying to portray and believe it is happening in real life. It should not be about cramming a script and more or less reading it out.

All in all, as I believe most of the cast in this production were novel in this industry, I think they tried their best in their individual roles. With the resources available to him, I think the Director did the best he could to ensure the plot of the story is achieved. What is important to me as a reviewer and critic in spite of short comings is if they were able to bring to life in a believable manner the plot of the movie and in my view I believe they did.

Picture Quality: The picture quality was average. In some scenes between changing pictures, there was a slight break and the transition was not smooth. Some of the shots were not too good and could have been better. I think for future productions, this should be looked at and taken more seriously. Yes the storyline of a movie is important, but for people that pay to watch a movie, they want to see good picture quality. We are in a technological age where all sort of things can be done to capture good pictures and unfortunately, this was missing in this movie. This should be a learning point.

Sound Quality: I do not like to go to a movie and hear unnecessary interference in the sound. From the beginning of the movie, the sound was buzzy in some scenes. The buzzy sounds were still eminent even in scenes where the cast were indoors. This is something that could have been dealt with post production and again, I think this should be a learning point for future productions. The sound need to be clear and all that should be heard are the voices of the cast and any special effects that are being used.

Overall performance: Personally, I believe that before any movie is shot, there should be research. Whilst at the end of the movie, someone was credited as an Immigration Officer, in the movie, we saw only Police Officers. The role of bursting arranged marriages is the job of Immigration Officers. In times past, the Immigration Officers attended with Police Officers, but nowadays, most Immigration Officers are arrest trained and attend such functions themselves. Whatever the case, Immigration takes the lead and this was not the case in this movie.

Again, I would have like a bit of more flesh as to how Afua came back to the UK especially as she was not married before she came back. Having being removed from the UK as an overstayer, it would take convincing evidence to get her back. I would have made Alan go to Ghana and do some kind of wedding and even meet her father. In this day and age, one does not just pull strings in the British Embassy and the next thing one arrives back in the UK. I would have also added a scene showing Afua depressed in Ghana and her seeing the real life style her father was living back at home.

Having said that, I think overall for a first attempt, it was a good movie such that a potential investor has looked into taking it into some countries. The storyline being relevant and the simplicity in which the story was told made people emphasise and feel sorry for the lead characters.

The question that remains is if I would recommend this movie as a critic and reviewer. In my honest opinion, there were shortcomings to the movie, most which have been highlighted above, but overall, the movie has a storyline that is relevant and is sensible. For instance people can take away different things from the movie eg investigating the Solicitor one uses before paying loads of money only to discover that they have been closed down for incompetency, that is a reality in present day UK. As a result of this, I would recommend this movie and for people to watch it with an open mind and learn lessons from it.

All that is left to say is well done to the cast and crew. I am looking forward to the next production and I believe that the issues that have been raised in this review would be considered. Research any area you want to portray, legal, medical, immigration, don’t rush to get the movie out. I keep re-iterating the words of my Pastor “proper planning prevents poor performance”. You are unique as this storyline shows and not in competition with anyone. Let the next production come out with a bang and I really look forward to reviewing that.

In conclusion, this was a good effort for a first timer and I look forward to future productions.

Watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HV0Fd8DzTI

The movie Love or Something like that premiered at the Odeon Cinema Greenwich on Friday 28th November 2014. Prominent on the red carpet were O C Ukeje, John Dumelo, Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Ken Attoh, Hannah Barrett from the X Factor, Collins Archie Pearce, DJ Abass, amongst others. Also prominent at the movie were Ruke Amata, Danny Erskine, Marie Gomez who arrived straight from the shooting of a movie to support this movie.

Storyline: Love or something like that is about a young surgeon’s chaos when she makes a horrible discovery about her past and what could be the end of a great career and beautiful marriage. It is a poignant story about moving on when there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. The movie was produced by Ken Attoh and Shirley Frimpong-Manso

In the opening scene, I like the fact that there were extras to make the wedding look real. Again unlike most movies, the theatre in the hospital scene looked real. For a change, it was not just drips in the hospital. I liked the fact that there were what looked like real hospital notes and files for patients. The storyline was well researched and I give credit to the writer.

In this day and age, I applaud movie Producers and Directors that talk about real life issues and the way such issues are handled and turned into a movie. This was another epic storyline and I give credit to the writer, the Director, Producer, cast and crew for their boldness in bringing such real issues to life.

Cancer is what I call a demon that has hit so many innocent lives and taken people including people close to me in their prime. So when people are diagnosed with cancer, they react in various ways. HIV is another demon especially when one is diagnosed as being positive and is also seen by some in some parts of the world as a taboo. People do not realise that with proper care and medication, the carriers can still live normal lives without being ostracized or sentenced to death. A typical reaction of how people who are diagnosed as being positive are treated even by those closest to them is well highlighted in this movie where even the husband scrubs his body after making love with his wife as if that was a solution.

All in all, in my opinion, this was a relevant storyline, well researched and properly told with comic aspects to it. Taking a vow at one's wedding for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health is a very easy thing to do, but when the challenges actually come up, then the reality of those vows set in and that was what this movie was all about, how the husband in times of the need of his wife psychologically separated himself almost giving in only to realise the vows he had taken on his wedding day.

Cast: The movie showcased Joselyn Dumas, OC Ukeje, John Dumelo, Christabel Ekeh and Nana Mensah amongst others. Joselyn is just raw talent. In my view she studied and played the role very well.  The same was the case with OC Ukeje. One could empathize with him as if he was really suffering from those diseases. The experience of John Dumelo was like the icing on the cake.

I believe the compliment of the cast was great starting from the leads to the lesser roles including the elderly patient and Associate lawyer. Everyone in the movie knew what they were doing and complimented one another in their roles. I credit the Director for not only bringing out the gifts in the cast but in ensuring that they were able to articulate the scrip and present a good storyline. It is not often in a review that I write that I say well done that often, but without hesitation to the cast, the Producer and Director, well done!,

Picture Quality: The picture quality was good. I do not have much to say about this. Unlike most of the films I have reviewed, the picture shots were clear and not blurred. Initially, I was concerned about the blood shot eyes of OC Ukeje and thought this was going to form a part of my critic, but as time went on and putting everything in perspective, I realised that was all part of the plot. The focus was good. I would not class the picture quality as excellent, but as a critic and reviewer, it passes the litmus test and I commend the crew for this.

Sound Quality: from the beginning of the movie, the sound was clear and the words were clear and distinct. Again there were no distortions to the sound and throughout the movie. I did not hear any buzzy sounds. Again I would like to commend the crew for a job well done.

Overall performance: what can I say? I still hear people commending this movie as at the time I am writing this review. For those that know me, I write my reviews based on what I see at the premier. I believe that enough time was spent researching and preparing this movie and the end justifies the means. As I always say, proper planning prevents poor performance.

As a reviewer and critic, I always try to look out for the negatives but honestly speaking, there was a message or two in this movie and they were distinctly and clearly conveyed to the audience. Even my Associate Reviewer who is normally tougher than me when reviewing movies gave a positive nod to this movie.

The only thing I can critic and I am being picky is that I felt the movie dragged on a bit. Every time I thought the movie was ending, it went to another scene. That did not affect the message in anyway but I think the movie could have been a bit shorter and the message would still stand.

The question that remains to be answered is whether I would recommend this movie. I do not have to think or sleep over this. Without controversy, with all of my reputation on the line as a movie reviewer and critic, for those who love to watch and promote authentic African and Nollywood movies, I would recommend this movie. In my view, it is top notch and has a message. May not be 100% comical as some people are used to, but there are still elements of comedy in the movie.

All that is left to say to the Director, cast and crew of this movie is a big well done. It pays to research your movie and take time to do it properly and that has been done in this movie.

Watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4srpgpbIyM

Review of Theatre Production of Bangles by Colours Production

The theatre production of Bangles was shown at the Platform Theatre Hornsey Road, London on Saturday 15th November 2014. There were two shows T 3pm and 7pm respectively. Our Lead Reviewer Babs Carew attended the 3pm and screening on behalf of www.babso.org  and reported that the screening had in attendance people of different nationalities and ages and that although the Platform Theatre is a small place, the screening was fully booked with a waiting list. Below is his review of the Production.

Storyline: “Bangles” tells the powerful story of a young British born Nigerian filmmaker and poet, Theresa who is still haunted by memories of her abusive, now deceased father. Despite her best efforts, she is unable to convey the depth of her pain to her stern mother, Gbemi and her cocky, confident brother, David. However, as the second anniversary of her father’s death approaches and familial tensions arise, Theresa and her family are compelled to confront a devastating past in a way which changes their lives forever.

Combining powerful live theatre with searing and unusual film footage, “Bangles” is an innovative multimedia production exploring the timeless themes of reality and perception, bitterness and healing.  After being enslaved for so long, is freedom EVER possible?

The storyline is relevant in this day and age where children have had to bottle abuse without being able to tell anyone and are suffering as a result of it. They cannot move on with life and fin it difficult to trust. The play was written by Michael Ajose, directed by Fana Cioban and produced by Abay Aromire. The rest of the crew consisted of Emma Nan Hu who was the film maker, Petr Vocka, the Lighting Designer, Philip Matejschuk, the Sound Designer and  SiJ in charge of the tracks.

Cast: the cast consisted of three people namely Ama Addison as Theresa, Kemi Lofinmakin as Gbemi the mother and widower and Emmanuel Ogunjinmi as David. Although there were only 3 people in the cast, they studied their roles properly and brought them to light making the whole story believable. I saw raw, natural talent waiting to be harnessed. Ama played the role in such a way that you would believe that she was just replicating what she had been through in real life. Her closing remarks that ended the production were most believable that if you were in the audience, you would have empathised with her and probably even cried. From the beginning to the end, she was in her role and never slipped away. Kemi, what can i say. You played the role effortlessly that i began to wander if you had to manage children in the category you played. You played a natural African, gullible Christian mother. All i can say is well done. Emmanuel, I am sure that in real life,  you are opposite of the role you played, but your steps, your sarcasm, your table manners and in the end your sober nature were all on point.

I would like to commend whoever was responsible for casting for this production. You could not have got better people for those roles. I also commend the Director and the entire crew for a job well done. It was indeed a team effort.

Sound: Although this was a theatre production, the sound quality including those if the images that were shown was perfect. The words were clear and concise and you could follow the production from beginning to the end. Well done!

Overall performance: Watching this production reminded me of pre-Nollywood when i used to watch plays on stage such as Village Headmaster, Aiye, Jaiyesinmi just to mention a few. The timing was meticulous. There were no gaps even when costumes had to be changed. Everyone played their roles perfectly. Feedback from all the people we spoke to was positive. One of the comments said ” well done for the production, I really enjoyed it, really great work and to think it was a 3 cast show, they did well”. Such was the consensus for the viewing I went for, not a negative comment. As a Nollywood  movie reviewer and critic, the production made me want to go back and support our local theatre.

The question remains, if the production which was free on this occasion was advertised for £15 or £20 would i go and watch it or would i recommend it. Without a doubt and without thinking twice, i would take my wife out to watch it. It is 2 hours well spent.

I spoke to the team after the event and discovered it took 3 years to bring the production to light. Getting it right is important and the time spent in developing the production was worth the while. Proper planning they say prevents poor performance and that was the case in this production.

Once more to the entire cast and crew all I have to say is a big well done. I am looking forward to the next production by Colours Production.

Watch the trailer:

https://vimeo.com/109807738

Review of London Premiere of Broken Cross

The movie Broken Cross premiered at the Odeon Cinema Greenwich on Friday 14^thNovember 2014. Prominent on the red carpet were HRH Theodora Ibekwe Oyebade and Ayo Oyebade, Marie Gomez, Tolu Yesufu, Toyin Moore, Danny Erskine, Florence Blaster Okonkwo, Collins Archie Pearce, Daniel Ndlara Robson, Mary Lawal, Malcolm Benson, Toksy B, Julian Sandi, Riyike Alayande amongst others.

Storyline: Broken Cross is an emotional story centred around a young girl Esther. She is haunted by her past upbringing as a child, living with her grandmother and later on joined her mother who lived with an abusive step father, she battles to come to terms with her family breakdown. Her father got married to a jealous step mother, she hates Esther with passion. Esther’s life changed when she stated to suffer a lot of abuse from her step father and this completely turned her life upside down and made a young innocent good girl suddenly turn to be a bad girl, turning to alcohol and drug abuse.

The movie is a mixture of romance, comedy, action, lies & deceit and a little bit of thriller as well. This movie is different from the normal African movies that we watch in that one will not easily make up what is going to happy next.

According to the synopsis of the movie, this movie was set to raise the standard of African movies and to show the world that we can do it to a very high standard. The movie was Produced and Directed by Daniel Ndlara Robson of Star Galaxy Media, a UK based Zimbabwean upcoming Director and Producer.

I would like to start by commending the Director and his cast for effort. It is not easy to come out with a production and bring it to live. Hearing all that happened during the making of the movie, I can only give kudos to the team as this is his first effort. However, If I had not read the synopsis if the film, I would be lost as 20 minutes into the movie, even as a critic I did not know the direction of the movie.

Again the movie ended with a message about teenage pregnancy and HIV. This on its own is commendable, but the storyline should have been written in such a way that it was clear that these were the central themes of the movie. I think in terms of the message, people watching the movie may have been confused and take away the end from the script would have been unable to tell what the central message was. This is a learning curve and hopefully in the next production, these points would be addressed.

Cast: The movie showcased Danny Erskine as George Cole, HRH Theodora Ibekwe Oyebade as herself promoting an NGO, Florence Blaster Okonkwo as the Millionaire widow, Collins Archie Pearce as Jeffrey Rodney, Daniel Ndlara Robson as Danny Bradley, Mary Lawal as Esther Bradley, Julian Sandi as Pastor Bakasi amongst others.

I observed that some of the cast were novel to acting and to the industry. This showed in the way they acted as most of the cast were not actually acting but had just crammed their lines. This is as a result of inexperience. When one is acting, the passion, the action needs to show in the character they play and this was lacking in most of the characters.

Taking an example, if someone is meant to be crying, there should be real tears from the time she starts crying that convinces anyone watching that she is crying. An example of the cast that seemed to cram his lines and in my view was just shouting was Esther’s step dad when she was young.

However, there were positives. In a previous movie, I had commented about  Danny Erskine’s acting skills. However, in this movie, I must commend him. I think the role fit him, I think he studied the role, I think he acted the role, he convinced me and went away from talking into acting, in a nutshell, he nailed his role in this movie. Well done Danny. I am looking forward to you even getting better in subsequent roles that you are given. Collins, although your script was flawed which is not your fault (see my final comments), you also nailed your role especially where you sarcastically caught Danny having an affair with your fiancée. That was sarcastic, funny and real. You brought some life into the movie.

Picture Quality: The picture quality was fair and could be improved more. The aerial views were so bad and in some cases the lighting probably of the camera affected the picture e.g. where the pastor was speaking with Esther’s friend, Fabian. If one is going to premiere a movie, the Director needs to look at the final cut and possibly edit such scenes.

Sound Quality: There were buzzy sounds in most scenes and the sound quality could have been better. However, I commend the effort with regards to effects. The sound quality with regards to the impact of the accident for example was good. With regards to sound, there were good and bad parts.

Overall performance: Firstly, I believe that when writing a script, one needs to research the area of the script. An example is when a client came to Collins in his office, I heard him say “we would not file a counter claim” and immediately as a lawyer myself I wrote “Counter claim in a criminal matter”? At the end of the movie, at the scene of the conference, I also heard “Commit suicide to kill herself”. That made me and those seating next to me laugh and in fact reminded me of the kind of thing the First Lady of Nigeria would say. These are things that should be checked and should not find a place in the movie.

I was shocked that the movie started abruptly and there was no introduction to the movie. This made the movie from the beginning difficult to follow.

In a scene, I also saw a plane flying or landing and at the same time there was someone in the room. I did not seem to understand that overlap, a plane flying in a room, that is novel. In post-production, this should have been eliminated.

Finally, even a member of the cast was confused as the ghost of grandma just showed up and there was no correlation to show that grandma had died.

There were good parts and not too good parts of the movie. While I commend the final scene, the introduction was abrupt. There should have been a link between the scenes to introduce such an important scene with what was possibly the message of the whole movie.

For a first attempt,although in totality, I believe it was a bad movie,  I commend the Director and his team for trying, especially when I heard all the things that happened on set. However, as a reviewer and critic, I need to write what I saw. I believe taking these points on board, the next production can only get better and I wish the team all the best in future productions.

Watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRUobaMg4ms

The premiere of the movie Invasion 1897 was held at Odeon Greenwich Cinema on Friday 7th November 2014. Prominent amongst those on the red carpet included Toksy B, Anthony Monjaro, Riyike Alayande, Malcolm Benson, Sam Anwuzia, Collins Archie Pearce, Deejay Abass, Sam and Tola Onigbanjo, Paul Obazele,  Mike Omoregbe, Chucky Venn, Annika Aloti, Danny Erskine, cast and crew of the Movie, to mention but a few. The movie started pretty late although as you would see in my review it was worth the wait.

Storyline:  The movie is a historic epic based on the life of Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, the Oba of Benin Kingdom, who ruled between 1888 and 1897. In 1897, the British invaded Benin, marking the historical epic from which this film was made.

Igie Ehanire played by Chucky Venn, a research student on African Art History gets touched and perturbed about the injustice the British invasion of Benin. It got more worrisome for him on learning that the artwork was more than just art works but a historical documentation of the records of the Benin people.

He wanted to return the priceless work of history and records to its original owners but went about it wrongly by trying to steal them, was arrested and had to face the wrath of the law. In trying to justify his actions, he queries the judge what she would do if her wig and gown were stolen and she now discovers them with a third party and then goes on to narrate the series of events about the reign of Oba Ovonramwen played by Mike Omoriegbe one of the greatest kings of Benin Empire who until 1897 was the only king and kingdom standing in Sub Saharan Africa. A major misunderstanding ensued that led to deaths and destruction and the carting away of priceless works of art which were more than decorative pieces and tagged spoils of war and culminating in the banishment of a brave king.

The movie was based on a real life event that happened in the Benin Empire now in what is now known as Edo State of Mid-West Nigeria. The story was well researched and is an excellent piece of history, one worthy of being told. It reminds me of the film about Nelson Mandela and all I can say on the storyline is well done to the script writer for recording history in the form of a movie.

Cast: The movie featured local and international actors including famous British actors Garett Mort, Rudolph Walker, Charles Chucky Venn, Annika Alofti, Hannah Raeshe-Felstead, Tim Robinson, Rob Spackman, Patrick Thompson and Keith Davinson and top Nigerian actors including Segun Arinze, Charles Inojie, Nosa Ehimwen, Paul Obazele, Leo Mezie, Mike Omoriegbe, Idiata Otiagbe and the late Justus Esiri.

Firstly, I must commend the entire cast of the movie for being able to collaborate properly and make the movie as real to anyone that watched it, bearing in mind that it was meant to be a 19^th Century story. I must however commend both Chucky Venn and Mike Omoriegbe both playing lead roles for “marrying” their roles for a lack of a better word and making those of us that watched the audience believe we were actually living in that era. Mike’s command of the Benin language and the culture must be commended and as the narrator in a different manner, Chucky must have taken time to study Benin History to have been confident enough to present his role the way he did. All the Chiefs and the supporting roles also contributed in making the movie as solid as it was. Again the British actors most of them involved in Nollywood for the first time did a good job in collaborating with the Nigerian actors in presenting what I call a first class jo. Well done!!

Sound: To me, the quality of the sound was good. It was not an A* which stands for excellence but it was good enough. I did not hear buzzing sounds or interference and the sounds of the props like the bombs fired came out properly. I must commend the Director and his crew for getting this right.

Picture Quality: The general picture quality was good again not excellent. I did not notice blurry pictures and in most of the scenes, the pictures were properly focused. Again I say well done!

Overall performance: We were informed that it took 4 years from start to finish produce what we saw at the premier. I commend Lancelot and his team the cast and crew for being patient to bring out such an epic historic piece. It shows that if as an industry, we take time, put in the effort, get the necessary sponsorship, the Nollywood industry would be a force to reckon with.

Although I would have liked to see more sub-titling and there were some typographical errors such as being “save” instead of “safe” (as a reviewer and critic, I see things people don’t see), overall, I believe the movie was an excellent movie.

Also in my view the cinematography was good, but in these days of computer technology where computers can create images to look real, I think advantage could have been taken of this for the war scenes and bombs, burning villages without losing the plot of the 19^th Century. A typical example again was where people were beheaded, blood should have been flowing through and a good cinematographer would have caught this, this was missing in the movie. Finally, in such a movie as this, there should have been warnings that there were graphic imaging.

I don’t say this about many movies that I watch, but I think this movie should not only be premiered but should be in cinemas throughout the UK so tat people in Birmingham, Southampton and the furthest parts of the UK can have an opportunity to watch it. Would I recommend people to watch this movie, without blinking an eyelid or thinking about it, I say a big YES, it would be a 2 hours well spent. Although people complained that the movie started late, I asked some of these same people whether it was worth the wait and the all said yes.

In finality, to Lancelot and the team a big well done and kudos to you.

Watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YljETHmfD34

Review of London Premiere of Double Cross

The premiere of the movie Double Cross was held at Odeon Greenwich Cinema on Friday 31^st October 2014. Prominent amongst those on the red carpet included John Dumelo, Ama K. Abebrese, DJ Abass, Eloise Nana Yaa Miss Ghana UK 2014, Adjetey Anang, Ayo Oyebade, Ikenna Obi, Yvonne Hayes, Danny Erskine, cast and crew of the Movie, to mention but a few.

The movie which was shot in Ghana showcased award winning actress Ama K. Abebrese, multi Award winning John Dumelo, multi award winning actor Adjetey Anang, alongside Jasmine Baroudi, Paulina Oduro and veteran actor Samuel Odoi-Mensah. The movie was directed by prolific director Pasacal Aka and produced by D R Kufuor and Ama K Abebrese.

Storyline:  In the movie, Effie Howard’s (Ama K. Abebrese) life is dramatically turned upside down when her fiancé Ben Boateng (Adjetey Anang) is convicted and sentenced for a crime he did not commit. Determined to prove his innocence, she carried out her own investigation and finds the actual robber; Danny Frimpong (John Dumelo) a calm and collected sophisticated genius of a thief who has a personal vendetta against the bank he robbed Neptune Bank International. He robbed the bank using technological equipment’s and software’s which enabled him to enter, steal and exit the bank leaving everyone mystified as to how the theft was carried out, no witnesses, no evidence, yet the money is gone.

She meets Danny and threatens him but offers him a deal, and it’s to rob the bank again with similar methods as the first so the authorities know the actual robber is still out there then Danny does not lose what matters to him most and the reason for the bank robbery. She plans to relocate with the money when Ben is acquitted so as to get away from the stigma attached to ex-convicts and their families. After the bank robbery Effie sets her sights on a jewellery warehouse and she wants Danny to rob it.

With a lot of jewellery and money at stake, each one of them tries to outwit each other with medleys of smart thinking as they plan and execute the robberies, but no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare them for the dangerous enemy, an enemy Effie least expected and never saw coming with surprising twist

With a lot of jewellery and loads of money at stake, each one of them tries to outwit each other with medleys of smart thinking as they plan and execute the robberies. They meticulously plan the robberies, but no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare them for the dangerous enemy, an enemy Effie least expected and never saw coming. There was a surprise twist, but if you want to know what it is, go watch the movie.

I sat down at the Cinema and initially wandered where the story was going. I thought it was about revenge and an upset lady trying to get revenge on the man that had put her fiancé behind bars. I then saw the same man falling in love with his friend’s fiancée. It was wild drama till the last straw. I am tempted to say what happened, but that would be spoiling the intrigue for those who have not watched the movie. The credits at the end showing what happened to each individual was a welcome advantage and of course the climax of the movie surprised some people. I must say I was not surprised as I expected it!! All in all, the storyline was good and I give credit to the writer.

Cast: As stated above, there were some celebrated cast members. I think there was a balanced cast and the cast did justice in bringing out the intended storyline and for this I give kudos to the Director of the movie. However, I was not really impressed with the acting of one or two of the cast. Worthy of mention is the police inspector and negotiator. To me the acting was not convincing at all. Before the bomb exploded and after that, the countenance of the officer was unreal. At the press conference as well, I was not impressed, he did not make it look real. I think he should have demonstrated a bit more passion in the role. On a balance, I say well done to the cast.

Picture quality: For this sub-head, I had an argument with my Associate Reviewer. While she thought that some scenes were blurry and not well focussed, I did not agree with her. In my own opinion, I thought that the picture quality was good but not excellent. As a good reviewer and bearing in mind that in every movie, we have two reviewers seating at different places within the cinema, I think the Director along with the Director of Photography in future movies should take a second look at the final shot and the pictures that come out so that pictures are clear and not blurry. On this one, I leave it to the audience that watched the movie to lean on one side.

Sound: Right from the beginning of the movie and in most scenes, as is the case with most Nollywood and African movies that we have reviewed, there were buzzy sounds on the background interfering with the actual sound of the cast. Although we could hear what the cast was saying, I am really looking forward to reviewing a movie where I am not hearing background noise. I watch movies from around the world and if we are to compete with Hollywood, we have to ensure that the sound is clear and concise and that the only background noise that is heard are the sounds of any effects used in the movie. The sound was not too bad, but can be improved on.

Overall performance: When I watch an African Movie or a Nollywood movie, I want to see the effects, props and location looking as real as possible. In this movie, to me the prison even though it was the visiting hall that was shown did not look anything like a prison. What I saw was even much better than the visiting halls of category D, open prisons in the UK. I would be very surprised if that scene was shot on location in a prison. In future, the Director should actually approach the prison service and do the scene there or do what is done in programmes like East Enders, create the location.

Like I said earlier, I was impressed with the intrigue and suspense at the end. To me, the effects used for the bomb and the whole scene could have been better. A good cinematographer would have done a very good job in that scene and made it look real. It looked a bit artificial although the message was sent out.

Overall, I would say it was a good movie, better than most of the movies I have seen and had to review. There were definitely issues as I have addressed and this is hoping that in future projects, the Director and his team would look at these in a bid to make their next work better.

All I have to say is well done!!!

Watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddpLpeaxb7o .

Review of London Premiere of Urban Rhythm

The premiere of the movie Urban Rhythm was held at Lighthouse Camberwell on Friday 3^rd October 2014. The movie showcased UK based upcoming new talents Lateef Lovejoy, Material, Gabriel Rinu, Zeezat Sadiq, Yvonne Hays, Maydaz, Ade Bello, Adasnoop amongst others.

Storyline:  ‘Urban Rhythm’ is a musical film with a fusion of UK based afrobeat artists and actors and with a compelling story of an unlikely friendship and an afrobeat journey. It features two main characters who do not quite get along. A young artist, Material, suddenly finds himself in need of a defence lawyer when he is charged with a petty crime. Sean who works for a private law firm is assigned to the case. An unlikely friendship occurs which then leads to an afrobeat journey. The movie was directed by Michael Ibiayo and produced by Yinka Kuponiyi.

As a lawyer, I was concerned about Sean’s actions in chambers as they were to say the least unprofessional and could lead to debarring. If he had issues, he should have refused to take the case and act on behalf of the client. He had an interest in the matter and would be unprofessional to act for him. Furthermore, he knew the client had stolen from him and that is enough to create a bias and make a case for him to transfer the case to someone else.

I also found it strange that in between a case conference, the solicitor picked up a call and subsequently went off course from the reason for the  conference and started talking about music.

Also I noticed miming during the course of some recordings. Music should have been lowered and the musician given more focus.

I commend the thought of bringing up a real issue of  a professional who should have known better in making a lucrative contract agreeing orally in principle to manage a musician even after he had been warned by his colleague and after his client had become so successful. The story show cases a common error and is a big lesson that should be learnt how where there is no concrete agreement, one can double cross another and friendships and relationships can be destroyed. Well done for that!!

Cast: As stated earlier, the cast are not well known names in the Nollywood industry save for Yvonne Hayes who has done a few Nollywood Movies. I believe that as first timers, most of the actors and actresses did well although there is room for improvement. I think the extras were a bit excessive in their acting and in a scene like the gym or the pool, there were elements of overacting.

I commend the Director for using real musicians and allowing them be creative and express themselves.

Picture quality: There were some scenes where the focus was out of place and this was obvious. If this could be worked on, I think the picture quality would be a winner. Overall however, the cinematography was on point. I agree with Nelson that the shoot style was the American dept-of-field flavour with movement and over the shoulder shots heavily utilised.

Sound: Again there were some issues with the sound. In some cases, the sound was low and in some cases, the sound was excessively high. Again working on this would make the sound a winner.

Overall performance: I think this movie is unique being a musical and also telling a story. From what the Director told us, the project was worked on for two years and had a relatively huge budget for a Nollywood movie. I commend the team for patience and trying to get things right before actually premiering the movie. However, I think the movie dragged on a bit and people may get bored eventually.

Most of the locations were great, but as a lawyer, I had a problem with the law office and as stated above if a UK Solicitor was at the premiere, they may not have understood the whole office and law scenes. Some people who watched the movie alluded that it cannot be termed as an authentic Nollywood movie but a British movie with the makings of a  Hollywood movie

Overall, I give a big nod to the movie and if people are music lovers and can endure, they would watch the movie to the end and enjoy it. Well done!!

Watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz7jhAptLlI#t=10