Video film Availability

One major challenge the budding video film production enterprise in Cameroon is facing is the availability of the movies produced. You hear about movies but will go round and round in circles to get them. Now while there are some brave people taking up the video film distribution challenge like the visionary Bara Irene  who has a video film shop specifically for video films at Lycee Biyemassi in  Yaounde and some freelance make shift distributors like Elvis Smart the purchase of an AngloCam film is still an uphill task especially here in Yaounde. 

I stood in Miss Bara's video shop for close to an hour waiting for her assistant to negotiate with a film producer to make available copies of his film which not only I but some other clients wanted to purchase. After the wait with no success I was asked to return the next day and of course when I did the film was still not available even though the producer had assured her it would.

Talking to some producers on this occurrence raised trust issues vis-a-vis these makeshift distributors who sometimes dub and sell their films without their accord. Some complained of limited DVD multiplication etc etc Honestly I think the mistake here stems from the production budgeting whereby most producers do not really plan adequate marketing and distribution strategies for their films and by extension build a substantial local market for their products. Viewers are getting disenchanted and loosing interest because of the scarcity of these films as opposed to the readily available Nigerian films. If the local market cannot be established there can be no real talk of an Industry, and the only way to build that local market is to get the films to the people.

That said please if anyone knows where I can purchase Anglophone Cameroon films please holla back! 

Oh no Robin Williams!

Its a weird world! The same day Robin Williams is announced dead my sisters and I were appraising  his career as one of the most versatile actors Hollywood has ever produced and how we can't wait for the next movie release with him. Cant believe about that time he ... died. Hollywood needs Jesus, big time! That demon of suicide is eating in their veins so deep. There he was thinking no one loved or cared here we were all the way in Africa wishing him the best and panting for his next artistic masterpiece. Lord what kinda prayer do we offer here for this soul? He is gone. Nothing more to say or do, but just to forever acknowledge the talent he possessed and the smiles and laughter he gave us. What a loss! Mrs. Doubtfire is an all time classic but I found him hilarious in Nine Months, what is your Robin Williams all time favourite movie?

Robin in Nine Months with Hugh Grant.

Kick

I just watched the 200crore and counting Kick starring as you can see in the poster the one and only Salman Khan. I must commend producer cum director Sajid Nadiawala's first attempt as director, it is not bad all. The action sequences are upto par and the story not bad. However, the screenplay and narration were a bit lacking for me in some instances especially when the second half of the film begins. I really wish Salman Bhai would just add a little effort in his emotional act it would go a long way to beef up the believability of the story. His facial expressions were kinda disconnected in some really emotional areas and I felt a pang 'cos it broke down the scene to a placid level. As for Jaqueline Fernandez I wonder what she was cast for, her character was not efficiently developed nor was the role meaty, she was completely tossed aside post the second quarter of the film. Randeep Hooda was impressive but his drunk act was very uncomfortable and evident to the viewer. He needs to work on that bit. Mithun Chakrabohty is just his usual self nothing more to say and Nawassudin was grossly under used for such a 'scary' but talented actor. All in all, Kick is good for those who love action to the core and the message that is wrapped up in the film's story is from a good place. Verdict? You might want to check it out.

On the Brim

Hmmmmm...I am confounded. The subject matter is one I think greatly deserves to be broached. Sickle cell is a genetic issue that has engendered a lot of pain and sadness in many families in Cameroon. So the film is on point in this respect, but this is where it ends. The film starts of great with a promising premise of a sickle cell patient aided by this rich dude with a sumptuous background who takes interest in him. Then the sickle cell boy and the rich dude's girl do something and boys sister is being a 'nag' about almost everything and oh my! I get lost in the melange. The narration is porous. The quality is not good for a 2013 release especially as AngloCam filmmakers are upping the stakes. The acting ah! The acting...I do not even know where to start. I heard about this film and had such high expectations and so purchased it immediately I saw an available copy but was disappointed at all levels whether technical or artistic. But hey dont just take it from me go get it, watch and tell me what you think. Maybe there is some deep underlying artsy meaning I am not getting.

Triangle of Tears 1&2

The adage that "you never know what you got till it's gone" sums up the essence of this movie Traingle of Tears. Enah Johnscott leading the pack(as director) narrates on screen the story which revolves around three principal characters; Murphy, Ornela, Harry. Ok so Harry loves Ornela and is about to marry her, tragedy strikes two days to the wedding and despite pleas from his best buddy Murphy, Harry chucks Ornela for another (whose story is the shaky subplot of the film). Murphy picks up Ornela dusts her up and Bam!! Harry wants her back. That in brief is the triangle right there and yes there were tears oh yes. Ok its unlike me but I got to start here with the SLAYER of this movie cause sadly there are aplenty. First off the sound mixing is so wrong I am hoping it is just the copy I bought, it made the film a tad bit strenuous to watch with dialogues coming before the images and an overwhelming sound score. I hate that ( Cos I have been thro it myself) The image quality was not bad but not enthralling either but the biggest sham of it all was the cinematography. Vain picture and frame composition, jerky shaky camera movements (which were clearly not highlights to the narration) careless camera angles with no real meaning and slipshod transition shots in between scenes ...ouf! As I struggle to catch my breath, then comes the acting. So so uninspiring I had to ask myself if the director really did direct the actors on the emotions and interpretations he desired for the characters, or was this what he wanted? The actor who plays Ornela gave the viewers NADA! nothing to work with. At some point I pitied the co-actors; but even they too don't go scot-free, Wyte's dialogue delivery is filled with breaks in between each line I became irritable, it's like a mechanical recital and same applies in his reactions, for some reason he seemed frozen and Epule I felt needed some depth. The saving grace here happens to be the story which (even though I still have problems with the screenplay) was very relatable and twigged with some twist at the end, acting wise Eta Mercy who plays Samira is the one to look out for. All in All with a little more attention to detail this film would have much more than it is. But please don't take it only from me, go get a copy and maybe you might just see things differently.

Jungle of Heirs 1&2

 The Bayang Kingdom reeks of conspiracy as rumor abounds that its reigning ruler is actually not a 'son of the soil'. Angered and instigated by these rumors king Albert abdicates and abandons his throne much to the horror of his elders and subjects. A decision which unmasks the conspirators, unravels well guarded royal secrets and unleashes several repercussions. In a nutshell this sums up the story on behind the title Jungle of Heirs which is grounded on traditional politics  and not quite surprising as it stems from the stables of Anglophone video film producer and screenplay writer Agbor Stephen noteworthy for his investment in tradition-oriented productions.

Director Neba Lawrence opts for a simplistic narration as evident in the cinematography which comprised long shots aimed to give a grandoise royal feeling to the movie as per the chosen locations, some close up shots too which I suppose aimed to capture and emphasis the complex emotions espoused by the characters (which unfortunately didn't pan out most of the time). The picture quality is good and some frame compositions hinted some form of reflection and directorial decisions but that's about it. The acting even though overly dramatic in some cases ( it was clear some of these actors were more theatre than film actors) was fairly convincing in some areas. The budget spinner in the person of Nollywood sensation Jim Iyke was clearly in this movie as a publicity strategy but nevertheless did the little his role comprised of fairly well. The guy had barely 5 scenes! Personally I kinda like the fact that the role attributed to him just sort of supports the general plot of the film, for it gave the opportunity for the Cameroonian actors to man the boat. I found Solange Ojong quite captivating in this avatar as the king's daughter and I must say here that I really feel her full potential is rarely tapped in favor of her beauty. Quinta Eyong is utterly believable in her rendition of Queen Janet.

I must confess I always look forward to an Agbor Stephen production and even though in this case I found some scenes unnecessary and plot point connections a little shaky I still think he managed to serve a good traditional tale this time as well. However splitting the movie in two parts was unnecessary especially as it could fit snugly in one. Please purchase, watch and tell me what you think about this movie too. 

University Girls

With a revealing title such as University Girls I already had an idea on what this film was going to be about and it did not disappoint my suppositions. However I found  script writer, producer and director Mina Mina's angle of approach somewhat refreshing. Rather than go through the overused Nollywood pattern of poor girl transformed by circumstance, the main lead Julie is rather a lazy girl avid for materialism and an easy life. Despite her extremely modest background she abhors poverty and languishes for selfish and money-oriented. The viewer is drawn in by good quality images and some attempts at creative frame/composition, camera angles and pleasant sound score to follow Julie's journey in the search of a 'better existence'. I would not really say there was any remarkable directorial style but what was noticeable was the attempt to capture and keep Julie and the other characters as basic as possible. I found Pascaline the 'big girl wanna-be' very interesting and she did get me to laugh in some instances, main lead Julie essayed by Adela Elad  was convincing. There was evident effort in the acting but the Slayer in the movie was the dialogue delivery which was mechanical and somewhat recital-like with overly timed entries and dead moments. The transitions between shots and connecting scenes were jagged and some handheld camera movements made one conscious of the film technicality consequently even though briefly, disconnecting the viewer from the story. All in all the story was neatly packaged and makes for an interesting watch. I must confess for some strange reason this is the first Anglophone Cameroonian film I have watched twice over and believe me that is something! I will not give any detailed synopsis here 'cause I believe the title is already too revealing as it is. Now it's your turn to purchase it, watch it and come tell me what you thought of the film.

Shembeh

From a Fulani geographical and socio-cultural context comes Shembeh a simple love story. Honestly, I was duly impressed with the general production concept (locations and costumes etc). It was decently captivated by director Cosson Chinepoh whose picture composition exploited the scenery offered by the uphill locations(eventhough I feel he gets carried away by the scenery to the detriment of the narration). Producers Nfor Lawrence Nfor and Mubuhwa Kingsley should be commended for taking this bold step and engaging in this production. Most impressive to me were the actors, not so much in their dialogue delivery but in their horse riding capabilities. Hats off to the main lead Shembeh (Sende Bende) who rode like a pro. The story is well contextualized into the Fulani social and cultural way of life but I find the directors narration weak and disjointed in several instances. The Slayer in this movie is the lighting and picture quality, in some indoor scenes we just don't get to see anything at all, then i would have loved the incorporation of real Fulani people in the set up. I also think the story was overly slow paced and some scenes  and plot points pulled on way longer than was necessary. The rhythm could inadvertently distract the viewer or cause probable drowsiness but all in all its a commendable effort. Another let down is the fact that it's a two part film which could clearly be compressed in just one part.

Synopsis

Shembeh loves Salifuh the handsome horse racer, but wealthy Vondeh has his eyes set on her and offers a dowry Shembeh's brothers and father cannot refuse. Consequently Shembeh goes under house arrest as her family prepares to forcefully marry her to an over confident Vondeh much to Salifuh and Shembeh's sister's dismay. With several attempts to free Shembeh resulting to naught Is the love story between Shembeh and Salifuh feasible? Watch and tell me what you think.

Different Kinds Of Men

It's been long coming and there have been several attempts to replicate the famous Hollywood flick Sex and the City and Different Kinds of Men is yet another African and specifically Cameroonian take of the complexities of womanhood and relationships. The inspiration in this film reeks not only the Sarah Jessica Parker starrer but also digs from the African American serial Single Ladies. Director Achiri Mathurin in a basic and subtle style narrates the tale of four ladies and the men in their lives. The picture quality and composition per shot, the camera angles are noteworthy support and emphasis to the narration. The story and concept very relatable, the acting a mixture of Yay and Nay, some mechanical and plastic others quite natural. I am still baffled how in spite of being so close and open with each other they had never seen Vicky's husband, that was a script faux-pas right there. The costumes were trendy but not very appropriate to the contextual setting of the story (I personally thought their outfits were too short for married women and I wonder what their in-laws thought of it),there was a pool scene which was a little upsetting with one of the ladies strutting an under size bikini, then  I was personally uncomfortable with the bad weave one of the 'money making independent woman' character was sporting (Lets see if you can identify which character it was, watch and hit me back) but other than that make up was good, no exaggerations. Now the Slayer in this movie...the characters are apparently all 'bushfallers' but for one and mennnnn!!! the attempt at an american accent killed the beauty of this film. It was all over the place and all WRONG! It gets you cringing even when the story is beguiling. They could have worked on it better, the diction for some was just embarrassing.

Synopsis

So we are introduced into world of four beautiful women (married and unmarried) and the complexities and challenges they face in their relationship with the different men in their lives. Diane exposes us to the dynamics and risks in long distance marriages as she affronts the challenges of being married yet because of career choices her hubby is more of visitor than resident; Brenda is confounded in a marriage laced with verbal and psychological abuse where a partner brings down the other constantly to cover up insecurities and shady secrets, Emmy displays the 'contemporal' concept of singlehood characterized by an unabashed sexuality and Vicky ephemerally contrasts the mayhem with a relationship based on trust and love in spite of distance, work and surrounding enticements. Now I can't say more than this but I tell you there is a girl fight scene which is laudably executed and you may not want to miss. Of all the couples too I commend the Yannick and Diane pair, they were the most believable with a perceivable chemistry and inter-actor comfort levels. Now you go watch this Living Dreams Entertainment production and tell me what you think about the movie.

Whispers

When this film received several nominations at the first edition of SONAH awards and bagging some awards too, my curiosity was triggered and I knew I would find no peace till I had my hands and eyes on producer Arthur Iyok's Whispers. As the film begins, the first thing that grips your attention is the obvious and undeniable high picture quality, at the first couple of shots, picture composition, camera movements director Enah Johnscott affirms Anglophone Cameroonians are beginning to sit up as far as film production is concerned. Though seemingly 'banal' the cinematography reeks of an attempt at stylistic  directorial and a subjective perspective which is evident in the rhythm and pace conditioned by the films' editing. There are laudable special effects to garnish the paraphernalia of technological savvy-ness amongst Anglophone film technicians even though I thought it unnecessary in certain areas. The background score and sound effects are commendable, same as dialogue sound capturing where the echoes were barely noticeable and ambient sounds were balanced admirably. The slayer factor however alights at the level of the narration and the story, which doused somewhat the technically commendable rendition of a very current topic or subject matter. The story and concept on which it was based I felt was not amply exploited consequently I found the story and screenplay unfortunately very weak plagued with unnecessary scenes. The acting wavered between a mixture of good, not so good, plastic, over acting  and downright bad. Nevertheless, ,  is worth the watch if for nothing but the quality and some directorial sense of style and technique which is a novelty in Anglophone films.

Synopsis

In a nutshell the film is about young people avid for success who sell their souls and loved ones for money. This wealth comes with dire and inhumane conditions which they must comply to robbing them of all the peace and joy the money was supposed to procure. What I appreciate about the story nevertheless is the approach of  the unfortunately popular trend of "Live Rich Die Young" amongst youths from the consequences, not just showcasing the wealth and its attributes but the sorrow and pain that accompanied the choices made by the characters.

Let me hear your views on the film.

A Little Lie A Little Kill

The term 'film Noir' and its defining parameters is still an active global debate in film theoretical circles, nevertheless, director Tebo Njei aligning with the dark picture composition, crime and victim of circumstance aura identifiable in the film noir concept, unabashedly announces this attempt as the first Anglophone Cameroon film noir.  A Little Lie A Little Kill set in Buea (South West Region of Cameroon) engages its audience in a tale of love, friendship, betrayal and crime. Now while I don't know if indeed it's the first film noir but I sure do know this Cameroonian film captivated my attention. The technique and intricacies in narration espoused by the director is laudable, even though the acting prowess was quite lacking in some characters and doused the excitement somewhat; the dialogues are fair same as the location, sets and props. The cinematography indicates a thought process and an attempt at carving a personal directorial style which was sometimes challenged by the sound capturing and mixing (some of the background score was unnecessary). The story is indeed intriguing and captivating and the screenplay well penned but the conclusion I found depressing and I think could have been addressed differently for some realism. Nevertheless, its a well scripted film.  All in all I didn't feel the urge at any point to eject the CD from my DVD player in anger and break it as has been the case with countless other Anglophone Video films. Rather, I was impressed, it's an Ivan Nname production and I recommend it to all those avid to support Anglophone Cameroon film production.

Synopsis

Gerald accidentally meets Charlotte and falls for her even though they both have people in their lives. Gerald's fiancée Helen (who by the way is a thrill to watch) will stop at nothing to keep him under control, while Charlotte's crazy boyfriend (whom I found funny at some instances) is ready to rain down hail stones to keep her. Amidst all this how do these two Gerald and Charlotte manage to be together is what the plot unravels in this 110mins runtime captivating drama. Now while I cant let the cat outta the bag, I can guarantee you all that the final twist makes it worth the watch.

Hit me with your views on the movie.