Sunday 26 December 2010
Saturday 4 December 2010
Too Much Talk!
Undeniably when one looks at where Nigerian and even Ghaniain filmmakers are at with their work, there is undoubtedly a wealth of progress and strife for perfection. What about Cameroon? Is there any hope that we shall surface from the dpeths of procastination and humble ourselves to learn the art of filmmaking enough to incoporate our own values? Truth be told, Cameroonians talk more than they do. They are always waiting for the big break, the perfect equipment, the million dollar script and so on. Finally not much is done in terms of actually making films. The few films which finally get made have no marketing power or skillful marketers to market the products. I was shocked to discover that in Cameroon there were about 450 video films made and released yet with no real marketing startgies they remained underground. Where are we heading, it is said a journey of a thousand miles starts with a step...but lets not remain on that step lets take a few more cos we can.
Monday 8 November 2010
Disgusting!!
What I have seen today is the height of it all. Ok agreed our greatest dream as filmmakers in Africa has always been to be internationally recognised but this recognition had to come based on our own cultural identity which we portray in our films. Not because we have shun our own cultural personae for a completely western mode of expression. Dressing, talking like white people is one thing but bringing this bluntly to television is another thing completely.
Personally I was happy when the Ghanaian film industry burst out showing their worth with their smooth English clean cut technique what I definitely did not bargain for was the horrid really horrid sense of naturalism which they aim to portray in their films. I just watched a Ghanaian film My Worst Experience by director Willie Ajenge where a girl small girl is asked to simulate in an explicit scene a ‘blowjob’ the very next scene is followed by another small girl being raped with an explicit display of their private parts. In another Ghanaian production the film Dirty War starring Jim Iyke and Yvonne Nelson opens with a gruesome sexual scene between two actors...the list goes on. Where are we heading to?
We are Africans and will never ever be western no matter how effective the concept of a global village has spread out amongst us. There are things that are said things that can be seen and other that are simply intolerable. How dare we! Nigerians...thank God for their religious background at least try to keep within the frameworks of decency. They remember that at all times the films they are making is for an audience which has a conservative cultural background. What are these Ghanaian filmmakers trying to prove? That they master the art more than Nigerians who spurred video filmmaking? Do they even have a censor’s board in that Ghanaian film industry? How can they let films like these be released, what is the aim of their filmmaking? What is their concept?
I think they are just being very callous and are derailing the future generation by overriding our cultural identity in favour of the voyeuristic western culture. What would an eighteen year old be thinking after watching a film like this? This is so wrong Africa lets wake up. We have very little that is left untainted about our cultural heritage. Let us stop trying to fit in the western world which is far from our reality. So is this the kind of art we want to display in our films? Is this African art? Use the filmmaking techniques but not to the detriment of what makes us African!
Tell our own stories from our perspective!
Sunday 22 August 2010
Movie Title: Love Lies
This must be a joke.
The cover of this movie is so well done when I saw it at the video shop I knew I just had to get me a copy. Now I am wondering who I can sell it too. I mean with heavy guns of the Nigerian film Industry such as Zack Orji, Rita Dominic, Tonto Dike...who wouldn't reach out for a copy of this two part flick.
The story:
Zack Orji's character meets Rita's character in the classic boy meets girl scenario and we can obviously guess where this is all heading. The screenplay writer throws in an annoying twist when he hints through Rita's friend on a possible dark secret(Rita was married and accused of killing her husband) and further reveals to us that Zack Orji is not only married to Tonto's character but has a son who is recalcitrant and bent to travel abroad. The story twists painfully around to finally have Zack Orji's son investigating Rita's charcater's past hired by Rita's Character's friend. This exposes her secret to Zack xter who shuns her, at the same time Rita's xters very concerned friend investigates Zack and discovers he is married with a son who happens to be the private investigator she'd hired.
The Review:
The story in the film may have been very interesting but for the fact that the script was not worked enough and the director missed a couple of points in his directors 301 class. I really don't know what made these actors sign up for the film cos its really pointless.
Charcater development is zero in the story...we never get to understand what Zack's character's unfaithfulness to his wife was all about; was he just a cheating husband or was there some story behind it or was he just playing with Rita...Tonto as the wife is plainly useless in this film if you ask me. She was under used and it seems like she was added in the story by mistake cos her character had nothing to offer. Rita's characters secret is half baked, and the sequences when she waits for Zack's character are a bore. Rita's xter has a male colleague who works with her ...I just don't get his part and the anger disappointment he shows at the end was unjustified...was he interested in Rita's Character at any point? If he was then it was poorly portrayed by the script writer.
All in All
The few good points in the movie for me ;
the fact that it was a pleasure seeing Zack Orji the actor again on screen,
Rita was dressed decently and was playing a less trashy role,
and last but not the least Tonto's beautiful face.
Apart from that...my copy of the movie is up for sale. Now I know why people don't buy Nigerian movies anymore but rather rent them.
The cover of this movie is so well done when I saw it at the video shop I knew I just had to get me a copy. Now I am wondering who I can sell it too. I mean with heavy guns of the Nigerian film Industry such as Zack Orji, Rita Dominic, Tonto Dike...who wouldn't reach out for a copy of this two part flick.
The story:
Zack Orji's character meets Rita's character in the classic boy meets girl scenario and we can obviously guess where this is all heading. The screenplay writer throws in an annoying twist when he hints through Rita's friend on a possible dark secret(Rita was married and accused of killing her husband) and further reveals to us that Zack Orji is not only married to Tonto's character but has a son who is recalcitrant and bent to travel abroad. The story twists painfully around to finally have Zack Orji's son investigating Rita's charcater's past hired by Rita's Character's friend. This exposes her secret to Zack xter who shuns her, at the same time Rita's xters very concerned friend investigates Zack and discovers he is married with a son who happens to be the private investigator she'd hired.
The Review:
The story in the film may have been very interesting but for the fact that the script was not worked enough and the director missed a couple of points in his directors 301 class. I really don't know what made these actors sign up for the film cos its really pointless.
Charcater development is zero in the story...we never get to understand what Zack's character's unfaithfulness to his wife was all about; was he just a cheating husband or was there some story behind it or was he just playing with Rita...Tonto as the wife is plainly useless in this film if you ask me. She was under used and it seems like she was added in the story by mistake cos her character had nothing to offer. Rita's characters secret is half baked, and the sequences when she waits for Zack's character are a bore. Rita's xter has a male colleague who works with her ...I just don't get his part and the anger disappointment he shows at the end was unjustified...was he interested in Rita's Character at any point? If he was then it was poorly portrayed by the script writer.
All in All
The few good points in the movie for me ;
the fact that it was a pleasure seeing Zack Orji the actor again on screen,
Rita was dressed decently and was playing a less trashy role,
and last but not the least Tonto's beautiful face.
Apart from that...my copy of the movie is up for sale. Now I know why people don't buy Nigerian movies anymore but rather rent them.
Wednesday 18 August 2010
A New Dawn
Its been over a year now since we - Meg Pashy and Nalo - decided to start off this blog. However, ever since its creation none of us really ever found the time to blog on it despite our countless promises to do so. Recently I have been visiting other blogs and I discovered a new vocation for this blog. Blogs reflect the interest of its editor or editors and we share a passion for the entertainment business,social and general media issues. So we thought to ourselves - why not blog about our views on these different spheres of interest?
Which is why in this blog, we shall from now on talk movies, music, TV. We shall comment on news headlines and reports via the different media we follow and ponder on social issues. You might want to follow us not only because you share our passion but because you are not afraid of telling things as you feel and see them. So come and join us meddle in other peoples lives, give critiques and reviews on the different movies we watch whether recent or not so recent. Lets share our views on what is going on around us. Come let us disagree to agree.
Which is why in this blog, we shall from now on talk movies, music, TV. We shall comment on news headlines and reports via the different media we follow and ponder on social issues. You might want to follow us not only because you share our passion but because you are not afraid of telling things as you feel and see them. So come and join us meddle in other peoples lives, give critiques and reviews on the different movies we watch whether recent or not so recent. Lets share our views on what is going on around us. Come let us disagree to agree.
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