Twisted

Twisted

 Director- Ayobami Adegboyega

Producers- Iretioluwa Oladapo 

Writer- Iretioluwa Oladapo

Cast- Iyke Michael, Omolara Ayoola, Segun Adebayo, Akinwumi Emmanuel

Time- 1:34:54

Year- 2015

Genre- Family Drama

Twisted is a family drama production that focuses on love, lust, vengeance, bitterness and misconceptions that may occur in a relationship. Wasn't totally sure what to expect as most of the cast members were relatively unknown, but I stuck to my guns to see what the movie had to offer.

Charles and Ann are a married couple suffering a major setback we are not previewed too. As a marriage counselor, Charles believes Ann shouldn't be so hard and make harsh decisions about the situation when something horrible happens.

Charles played by Iyke Micheal who was the only recognizable face as I have seen him in a commercial or two. His character seemed to fit well with his role as one could see his frustration and annoyance; however, he's seemed to have been choked by all the gremlins that plagued the movie.

For the lead female character played by Omolara Ayoola, she seemed comfortable but docile with her role. She was assertive in some scenes and then a complete opposite in some others but for a first timer, there is high growth rate for her once she identifies acting courses that can help her. The other characters asides the lead ones, were not recognizable and had serious sentences and grammar construction problems which were appalling, it begs the question; what the casting director looking out for in a cast. 

Twisted which is the first script of Writer, Producer Iretioluwa Oladapo was lacking in depth and creativity. In one of her interviews for Punch online, Ireti said "One of the values she believes she is adding to the industry is giving actors and actresses who have not got enough space the opportunity to showcase their talents". But I fail to see how you aim to harness talent when their main tool for the trade is horribly don.  While the subject is an addition to the pool of husband and wives stories we have out there, Twisted failed to bring any creativity or an intrigue to the plot. I did not understand why the house helps role was played up? It certainly was one of those unnecessary scenes this production could have done without. 

Production gremlins were in their numbers. The production quality was very low and seemed like the movie was from the 80s, lighting was non-existent as the dark scenes were present in every other scene. 

For the director Ayobami Adegboyega who according to research is an evangelical and stage director didn't pull off any special shots to the whole production. I guess with the production gremlins, any extra thing in directing  would have been easily lost to any eye. 

On a whole, Twister could have been a deep plotted story with great dialog, visual beauty, however it leaves one with a bitter taste in the mouth on how far the industry still has to go. From Xplore, it earns a 1.5/10.

If You Were Mine

Director- Pascal Amanfo

Producers- Maame Adjoa

Writer- Maame Adjoa

Cast- Majid Michel,  Rukky Sanda, Roselyn Ngissah, Kweku Elliot 

Time- 1:43:42

Year- 2015

Genre- Romantic comedy 

Synopsis

"Max meets a mysterious lady in a nightclub, next thing he knows this woman is in his house and on his bed. The next time he bumps into her, Ashanti the mysterious lady has already stolen every fiber of space in his heart. Things move so fast that by the time he realizes, he’s already proposed. 

Written and directed by Pascal Amanfo, If You Were Mine is another Ghanian production that is in dire need of an engaging plot, a proper script and deep characters even if it’s just a comedy.

Starring the likes of Majid Michel, Rukky Sanda, Kweku Elliott, Roselyn Ngissah, Maame Adjoa Adom Obimpeh, Salma Mumin and Pascal Amanfo, the movie lacks in storyline what most Ghanian movies miss, a plot that will seemingly engross its audience and lines that would crack you up in a good way. As the synopsis mentions, Max runs into a lady he meets in the club and then takes her home. While this is not in any way new or different, I believe looping the scenes that follow together and tying it properly at the end was what was totally absent, annoying and a pure waste of an hour plus of my time as it was badly executed.

Majid is not one to shy away from roles, Nigerian talk less of Ghannian, but there is something about Majid, (I have said this severally), that remains the same with all his characters.  He's lines were great for this production, he had more compose than other characters, however, he always seems similar with his delivery. At a point in most of his movies, his voice will be high-pitched; his eyes and mouth will be open at the same time with his veins almost popping out of his neck all this with little or no theatrical edge to his character.

Rukky Sanda as Ashanti, was just okay. Some chemistry seemed to flow between the two characters, which is every director's dream and also felt natural cause the movie was a thin line between drama and some sort of comedy. However, Rukky didn’t bring anything outstanding to this character and it felt like anyone else would have achieved just the same thing.  

Her group of friends, made up of Roselyn Ngissah, Maame Adjoa Adom Obimpeh and Salma Mumin brought the much-desired comedy to an already dire situation and while this was a development the production honestly needed, I cannot say with an open conscience that it was well executed.

Scripting in a normal stance follows some sort of order, giving a format and consistency expected by all participants apparently, that wasn't the case for this movie, throwing in the dream aspect felt brilliant, but it fell heavily on its face as it didn't connect or add anything to the movie. Directing and Production seemed to be on lock down as I searched sunglasses to see if I would catch a reflection of a camera man or a microphone and got nothing, so while we have moved past that solid gaff in the industry, editing needs to be taken up a notch as the unnecessary scenes came a dime a dozen.

If You Were Mine is one of the many films directed by Pascal Amanfo and one would have thought, since he has several movies to his credit, he would have gotten a proper handle of movie making by now! If You Were Mine earns a 2/10 from Xplore.

Have you seen 'If You Were Mine', share your thoughts in the comments section. 

Mum, Dad Meet Sam

Director- Tony Sebastian Ukpo 

Producers- Susan Biodun Ogidan 

Writer- Segilola Ogidan 

Cast- Joseph Benjamin, Daniella Down, A Dot Comedian, Helen Gold and Edith Nwekenta

Time- 1hr +

Year- 2015 

  

All I did was tell her to chop onions, this oyibo na wa... Mama Abiola

The movie unveils Josiah Abiola (Joseph Benjamin) who is at the peak of his career, the only thing left for him is to find the perfect girl to settle down with, and Samantha Smith (Daniella Down) is stunning, intelligent, and pretty much fits the picture.

Both met and fall in love and might just be perfect for each other. He decides to take her home to meet his family in Nigeria. What is meant to be a special occasion turns out to be their worst nightmare, with a devious ex-girlfriend Morenike (Edith Nwekenta), an over protective, overdramatic mother (Helen Gold), and the fact that Sam is…  ENGLISH (white), then you have a recipe for an explosive and disastrous encounter ripe with awkwardness and hilarity.

From the stables of Film One Production comes yet another Romantic Comedy; “Mum, Dad Meet Sam” also known as MDMS. From the synopsis above, it kind of says it all. Having either a white boyfriend or girlfriend is one thing, bringing them home to meet your Nigerian folks is another and this production tries to capitalize on that.  

Joseph as the main character knew his lines and delivered to them. He was confident and handle his role well, however, he seemed to lose his tongue when he returned to Nigeria with his girlfriend. If the aim was to get us angry that as a grown man he couldn’t stand his ground and talk to his mum, it worked hands down that I was somewhat letdown at those scenes.

Samantha, played by Daniella Down was pretty fresh and decisive. I loved her humor which didn’t feel overly done (probably because the accent is hers). She portrayed the lonely single look to please her mother-in-law well and this didn’t seem or look different from what a black woman will do. I did feel however that her style, both hair and clothes looked grand-ma ish and nothing a young British girl her age will be caught dead in.

Josiah’s overzealous cousin Fola played by A dot Comedian was a character I felt the movie could do without. He didn’t bring anything to the production neither did he leave us with anything that left me gasping or wowing on his role.

Samantha also had cool friends (names elude me), Nigerian for that matter, who brought a humph to the movie. With quick pick up lines and cheeky sounds, the two characters are every girl’s nightmares as well as dreams and they were loads of fun.

Production quality was top notch, with sound and visual going hand in hand. I liked the retro style that came with the production, I believe it’s a camera style and till I find out what it is, I was cool and different. I must hand it to Film One the second movie in their line up that is top notch and I do hope they keep this up, putting quality always above anything else in their movies is what movie lovers long for in our Nigerian movies. Editing felt pretty close during some scenes, as one could notice the sudden change, but they were excusable. As it relates to the script and directing, coming from total unknowns in the industry was welcome. Like I always say, nothing is new under the sun and so the plot wasn’t totally new (if you consider Osofia in London and its sequel), however MDMS had a civil character delivery and a fresh perceptive on getting hitched or hooked to a white person the Nigerian way. Closing the loop seemed to be an issue that is rearing its head in our movies as the scenes drawing up to the end of the movie seemed to drag and felt totally unnecessary.

“Mum, Dad Meet Sam” was fun to watch and put together nicely. It delivered to cheeky lines and usual drama and earns 5/10 from Xplore.

Have you seen MDMS? Tell me what you think in the comments section. 

CNN rates Nollywood: More than feuds and dramas, Nollywood is a mighty economic machine

They used to be the preserve of informal home gatherings around old flickering TV sets, but Nollywood films have now gone global.

Movie streaming giant Netflix has dedicated an entire section to Nigeria's mega film industry, so rather than having to buy a DVD, viewers around the world can now get their fix of Nigerian drama straight to their computer screens -- Nollywood is notorious for churning out hundreds of movies per month, capturing viewers with stories ranging from romance and drama to comedy and witchcraft.

iROKOtv, a Nigerian online platform for on-demand films, already streams home-grown movies to the diaspora around the world, but with 25% of Nigerians predicted to access the internet via their mobile phone by 2018, the home market is expected to grow too.

Movie star power

Nollywood's biggest stars - Ramsey Nouah, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Genevieve Nnaji and Jeta Amata.

Befitting the mammoth industry that Nollywood is, its glamorous movie stars are revered in the country as any Hollywood A-listers would be. Shown above are four of Nigerian film's most recognizable faces. 

Ramsey Nouah stumbled into the film industry almost by accident. He was looking for funds to cover his school fees when a friend suggested he tried acting. Some 25 years later, Nouah is today one of Nollywood most prolific stars.

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, heralded as the queen of Nollywood, has appeared in around 300 films since her debut in 1995. Her allure earned her the nickname of "Omosexy," while two years ago she was named one of the top 100 influential people in the world by Time Magazine.

Jeta Amata comes from a family of Nollywood stars, so it was perhaps not surprising that he became one of Nigeria's most prominent film directors. He is often praised for the high production values and strong narratives of his movies, and has worked with both Nollywood and Hollywood famous stars, including Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger.

Genevieve Nnaji, dubbed the "Julia Roberts of Nollywood," has been acting since the age of eight and has won the 2005 African Academy Movie Award for Best Actress.

High output, low profit

Poster for "Ijé: The Journey" Nollywood's highest grossing film so far.

Nigeria's film industry pumps out around 50 movies per week and is estimated to generate around $600 million annually for the country's economy. With more than 1,200 films a year, it's the world's second biggest producer behind India. Nollywood is also Nigeria's second biggest provider of work, employing directly or indirectly more than one million people, according to the United States International Trade Commission.

However, films are typically low-budget and revenues are small. One of the highest grossing Nollywood film so far is thought to be "Ije: The journey", which generated $500,000 when it was released in 2010. It stars two of Nollywood's biggest stars, Genevieve Nnaji and Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde as sisters fighting for justice.

Search of excellence

Musician Wyclef Jean and Akon on the set of Jeta Amata's film "Black November."

In recent years, a new wave of filmmakers who want to shake off Nollywood's reputation for shoddy productions is emerging. Dubbed the New Nigeria cinema, these young professionals want to create a movie industry which can compete with Hollywood -- not just in quantity but also quality.

Actor Wale Ojo, one of the biggest supporters of the movement, told CNN: "New Nigeria Cinema basically means an elevation of Nigerian film -- high production values, good strong narratives, stories that capture the essence of who we are as Nigerians, as Africans.

"And it means also that these films can be shown at international film festivals anywhere in the world, from Toronto to Cannes to Venice."

Read article here: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/10/africa/nollywood-mighty-economic-machine/index.html

BTS: One Fine Day

Royal Arts Academy is back with a new flick titled ‘One Fine Day’.

The movie stars Funke Akindele, Joke Silva, Olu Jacobs, Frederick Leonard, Benjamin Touitou, Memry Savanhu as well as upcoming actress Bimbo Peters.

Synopsis: ‘One Fine Day’ is the gripping drama about two sisters Tasha and Nina who experience more than your average share of sibling rivalry which is worsened by Nina’s slightly disturbed state of mind. When a tall, handsome stranger comes to claim Tasha’s hand in marriage, Nina’s behaviour takes a turn for the worse. Could she be up to her usual anti-social tricks or is there more that lies beneath? Find out in this very gripping, unforgettable family drama.

One Fine Day is directed by Desmond Elliot and produced by Emem Isong.

Check out the behind the scenes photos below:

The Power of Confidence

Confidence is a conversation starter any day, anytime for any gender. The need to believe in oneself and take much-deserved risk is the sermon of most motivational speakers so I was intrigue to see the new campaign advert of ‘Gulder’.

From the deep base voice, the hard-hitting instrumentals and slow motion effects, the advert does something that would make anyone in his right senses tinker, “Are we men or are we… mice (stole that from 300 part 1)

Below is their story:

They say every man ought to desire a better life but I dare say it is not enough to desire, every man must demand for a better life and to do that, a great measure of confidence is required. Confidence in oneself and one’s ability to express.

I was born and raised in the suburb area of Ajegunle, Lagos. My father, a retired police officer had seven of us and as you can imagine, it was not a pleasant experience. Many times, we took turns at several things including food ration, sleeping ( there wasn’t enough space in our one-room apartment) and even schooling. I was the last of the seven children but that did not bring me any favour, as is usually the case in several homes, instead, it doubled my portion of the house chores. Once I was eight years old, I joined my older siblings to hawk on the street. We would toil for hours running to and fro the hot roads of Lagos selling different items, most times bare foot.

But I didn’t let all of these bother me. Instead, I took the challenge and did all I could to ensure I had a better life. I saved up to buy books, saw myself through school, graduated with a First class in Mass Communication and got a job with one of the biggest financial servicing companies in Lagos. After over five years of working as an executive at the firm and helping it win countless of big pitches, I knew I could do better. I craved for a promotion, to a managerial position, at least. I took up relevant courses in management and even went for training but it just didn’t happen. My boss, whom we all feared, for some reasons I don’t know, was bent on keeping me in that spot.

Then one fateful weekend, during one of my regular evening strolls, I began to reflect on my past and how despite my poor background, I had managed to achieve all that I have. I soon realized that none of what I had would have been if I have given in to fear. “If the street didn’t kill me while growing up, my boss wouldn’t”.

With this resolve, I headed to work the next day. I shared my plans with some of my colleagues who had the same desire as me but they wouldn’t budge. Actually, they thought I had gone crazy, “You better let us continue like this. What if he gets angry and fires us?”, one of them told me. I was battle ready. I dusted my suit’s lapel (Harvey Specter style) and headed for my boss’ office. By the time, I opened the door after about 45 minutes, I did with a new appointment letter as Head, Client Service department. Guess what, he had been thinking about it too and my demand came at the right time as the present manager just got transferred to another branch.

I have since realized the place of confidence in the scheme of things. It is not enough to desire a better life, we must at every point in our lives have the confidence to refuse to settle for less than we deserve, and it starts with having the type of confidence that can bring walls down.

I am not the only one who believes in the power of confidence, my favourite beer, Gulder, does too.

EbonyLife TV set to produce African version of What Cinderella, Robin Hood and David & Goliath.

EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first Global Black entertainment and lifestyle network, is set to produce African adapted versions of epic and biblical blockbusters like Cinderella, Robin Hood, Romeo and Juliet, The Prodigal Son, David and Goliath, Samson and Delilah, and many more.

On the heels of the production of Desperate Housewives Africa, the first international drama format ever to be made on the continent of Africa and based on the multiple award winning ABC Television drama hit series, Desperate Housewives, EbonyLife TV is set to raise the bar yet again as it plans to launch even more compelling and breathtaking drama with titles and story lines the continent is familiar with.

EbonyLife TV is currently in development of the production of a number of well-loved epic and legendary titles to include Cinderella, Robin Hood, Romeo and Juliet and Little Red Riding Hood. Modern day biblical stories are not left out in the plan as The Prodigal Son, David and Goliath, The Good Samaritan, Samson and Delilah, among others, are set to get the modern African treatment. Auditions for some of these will begin in July, while production is to commence later this year.

Speaking on the development, Mo Abudu, Executive Chairman and CEO of EbonyLife TV says, “It’s a space we have occupied and wish to own. The world loves drama and can’t resist the iconic ones. At EbonyLife TV, we are determined to continue to offer the world the best of drama, made in Nigeria, made in Africa, for a global audience. The best ideas are the simple ones, so our plan is to take those stories and those characters that people are familiar with … those that have a legacy, give their stories an unusual but compelling twist; situate them in our modern African context; let them walk where we walk; let them live where we live; face the temptations and peculiar challenges that we face; fight the battles we fight and celebrate their triumphs the way we do. That’s what this is all about.”

Let's talk about it, an African version of our most memorable fairy tales and bible stories, a welcome development or ???

Africa Movie Academy Awards Host Nominees in LA Party

The 2015 African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) recently hosted its nomination party in Los Angeles, United State (I am wondering... why). Amongst the stars that grace the occasion include: Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, OC Ukeje, Jimmy Jean Lousis, Jackie Appiah, Osi and Ike.

Nollywood movies like October 1 bagged the highest nominations in 8 categories to include ‘Best Film, Director, Actor and Costume. While Dazzling Mirage, Invasion 1897 and 30 Days in Atlanta bagged 3, 2 and 1 nominations respectively.

While there is no way to vote for those nominated, check out the full list below:

BEST SHORT FILM

Stories of Our Lives ‘’Run’ – Kenya

Aisha’s Story – Nigeria

Gulped of the Blue Sea – Togo

Memoir of a Honest Voice- Sierra Leone

Twaaga – Burkina Faso

BEST ANIMATION

The Throne – Nigeria

Alternative to Corporal Punishment – Namibia

The Legacies of Rubbies – Nigeria

Akorkoli – Ghana

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Egypt Modern Pharaohs ‘Nasser’ – Egypt

The Dream of Shahrazad – South Africa

Nelson Mandela, The Myth and Me- South Africa

Beats of The Antonov – Sudan

The Supreme Price – Nigeria/USA

BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD:

Gone Too Far – Nigeria/UK

Thorns of Roses (O Esphinho Da Rosa) – Guinea Bissau/Portugal

Fevers – France/Morocco

Affairs of the Heart – Nigeria/USA

BEST DIASPORA SHORT

Sound of Tears- Canada

Hand to the Sky – USA

Calm – UK

BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY

Jimmy Goes to Nollywood- USA/HAITI

The Black Panthers Vanguard of the Revolution – USA

Bound: Africans VS African Americans – USA

Black Panther Woman – Australia

BEST DIASPORA FEATURE

Under the Starry Sky – France

CRU – USA

Supremacy – USA

ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

INumber Number- South Africa

October 1 – Nigeria

Le President- Cameroun

Run – Cote d’Ivoire

Timbuktu – Mauritania

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

Dazzling Mirage- Nigeria

Run – Cote d’Voire

Njinga: Queen of Angola – Angola

October 1 – Nigeria

INumber Number – South Africa

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP

Run – Cote d’voire

Iyore – Nigeria

Silver Rain – Ghana

INumber Number – South Africa

Njinga: Queen of Angola – Angola

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK

A Place in the Stars – Nigeria

Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia

Iyore – Nigeria

Njinga: Queen of Angola – Angola

Timbuktu – Mauritius

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT

Invasion 1897 – Nigeria

Kpians – Nigeria

Run – Cote d’Voire

INumber Number – South Africa

Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

Lobraz Khan – South Africa

Le President – Cameroun

Run – Cote d’Voire

Timbuktu – Mauritius

INumber Number – South Africa

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia

INumber Number – South Africa

Run – Cote d’Ivoire

Lobraz Khan – Mauritius

Timbuktu – Mauritius

ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

October 1

INumber umber

Triangle Going to America

Run

Timbuktu

ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENPLAY

Le President

While You Slept

Timbuktu

Love or Something Like That

Run

BEST COMEDY FILM

30 Days in Atlanta

Iya Alalake

Last Three Digits

BAYELSA STATE GOVERNMENT ENDOWED AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM

Invasion 1897

Dazzling Mirage

October 1

Iyore

A Place in the Stars

BEST CHILD ACTOR

Layla Walet Mohammed and Mehdi A.G Mohammed – Timbuktu

Joshua Ibrahim and Daniel Ibrahim- A Place in the Stars

STIGMA.

BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR

Demola Adedoyin – October 1

Vinjeru Kamanga – BELLA

Kemi Lala Akindoju – Dazzling Mirage

Hassan Spike Insingoma -Boda Boda Thieves

Chiedza Mhende – Love the One You Love

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Israel Makoe – INumber Number

Paul Obazele – Iyore

Chumani Pan- Silver Rain

OC Ukeje – Love or Something Like That

Triangle

Going to America.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Hilda Dokubo – Stigma

Toulou Kiki -Timbuktu

Reina Salicoulibaly- RUN

Prossy Rukundo – Boda Boda Thieves

Ama Amphofo – Devil in a Detail

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Tony Kroroge – Cold Harbour

Sdumo Matshali – INumber Number

Abdoul Kareem Konate – RUN

Sadiq Daba – October 1

Gerard Essomba- Le President

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Lesliana Pereira – NJINGA: Queen of Angola

Queen Nwokoye – Cheetenah

Aida Wang – Juliet and Romeo

Jocelyn Dumas –Silver Rain

Ini Edo – While You Slept

BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR

Carey Mckenzie -Cold Harbour

Jenna Bass- Love the one you love

Destiny Ekeragha -Gone Too Far

Tawonga Taddja Nkhonjera –Bella

BEST DIRECTOR

Theodros Teshome Kebede- Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia

Theo Nel- INumber Number

Abderrahmane Sissako – Timbuktu

Phillipe Lacote – Run

Kunle Afolayan – October 1

BEST FILM

Run – Cote d’Voire

Timbuktu – Mauritania

INumber Number – South Africa

Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia

October 1- Nigeria

Blessing Egbe’s B’ Concepts releases montage on new series ‘This Thing Called Marriage’

Prolific Director of the acclaimed “Lekki Wives” series, Blessing Egbe’s has just recently release a montage of her new series called ‘This Thing Called Marriage’.

The series which is still in production will star Femi Jacobs, Ufuoma Mcdermott, Tana Adelana, Darlene Cobhams, Udoka, Keira Hewatch, Jennifer John and more.

With her initial series focusing on ‘Wives’ and now ‘Marriage’, do you think Blessing is kicking off a trend here?

Watch the video below and tell me what you think.

Silver Rain

Director- Juliet Asante

Producers- Adizah Yemohley Yemoh

Writer- Juliet Asante

Cast- Enyinna Nwigwe, Joselyn Dumas, Chumani Liberty Pan, Elikem Kumordzie and Uru Eke

Time- 2hours

Year- 2015

Genre- Political drama

Synopsis - Set in the slums of Africa, Silver Rain is a gripping love story. Ajoa, a ‘Kayayo’ street girl from Accra, meets Bruce, the rich heir of the Timothy fortunes. Their friendship sets into motion a class war, as Ajoa struggles to cross the class divide and find love, Bruce struggles to find himself. Together, they must brave the turbulent political times, as well as the social barriers, that may just be their undoing.

He really isn't a bad person, he's just confused… Mark.

Inspired by actual events, Silverain is a political melodrama that tells the story of Adjoa (played by Joselyn Dumas) who braces against all odds to make ends meet as a market porter. Coming into the cinema after the movie has gone a couple of minutes wasn’t my intention, but I had seen this poster and I wanted to see what the movie was about.

I walked in to see a blacked faced Dumas struggling to irk out a living and my first thought was can depicting a poor person get any better than this please? The movie seemed to go on about the life of a market porter as I settled in to watch, things began to get clearer to me.

While focus was on the life of the market porters, the other critical issues like the political campaigning, social inequality and getting the poor to vote, as the powers that be look for ways to get them off the streets, brought that animal farm nostalgia to the fore for me. The movie couldn’t have been any clearer on how day in day out, the needs of the people are always put aside for the benefit of political circles, but then, the focus wasn’t solely on this.

As mentioned, Joselyn plays one of the market porters who is almost run over by Enyina’s character, a business man who is also the son of the speaker of parliament. Joselyn seems to be ticking the right boxes as this role sort of shows how versatile she can be in the industry. The slums of Ghana were on full display and she took hold of the character with the Ghanaian accent sounding more clearly than ever. Not sure how it clearly disappears as she transitions from that market porter role to one who is well kept, but hey, I love her demeanor and I foresee her nomination in the Best Actress category at AMVCA’s for next year.

Welcome Enyinna Nwigwe to lead roles.  Enyinna isn’t a new kid on the block as he has been in the industry for a bit and as a comeback he’s been seen in a couple of movies including “When Love Happens, Thy Will be Done’ etc. Most of the cheekiest lines came from Enyinna and even though he is no Chandler from “Friends” he managed to get me giggling once in a while. He had a good presence, carriage, speech and was well composed, he was a player that didn’t seem to try so hard but delivered to his lines with the charisma and looks to go with it.

Chumani Liberty Pan who plays Mark was such a sweetie and the Jiminy Cricket  of this movie. I was in love with his character and how he portrayed himself. It felt like he’s boss played by Enyinna saw him as an equal but in actual fact he was the help and that in itself was also different. Never arrogant or boastful, he’s character never put up a front that he could be at par with his boss and in no way did he for once show that he was in competition. That all out submission is something I haven’t seen in our Nigerian production.

Elikem Kumordzie and Uru Eke also brought their skills to bed in this production. I felt Elikem’s character was overdone, as chief of staff, he was pretty hard, barking orders and looking really dark, reminded me of Abacha but he probably could have toned it down a notch. As for Uru, she did great. I love the scene with her and Bruce’s mum and her docile look when she responded to her questions, but when it came to time to fight for her man, she suddenly became smart and wise in the antics of women. I do hope that she isn’t been type-cast though as I see a trend in her roles.

The movie was plagued with the usual production gremlins; I cringed in my seat. Camera angles felt oddly out of place, some close shots were too close, dark scenes especially at night, while sound quality wasn’t too shabby. Silver Rain the directorial and writing debut of Juliet Asante brought a perspective  rarely explored by women in the movie industry. The movie was a combination of political power, menace of inequality, promiscuity and eventually love. She is a contender for director of the year, at the AMVCAs, so I will be rooting for her.

Silver Rain is a brilliant production with a Pan African cast that did justice to their roles. It will make my top movies of 2015 (when I do have a count-down) and earns a 5.5/10 from Xplore.