movie reviews

FILM TITLE: Omo Iya Aje
PRODUCER: Akeem Balogun
DIRECTOR: Muyideen Ayinde
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2007
CAST: Yinka Quadri, Toyin Afolayan, Peju Ogunmola, Funke Akindele, Femi Adebayo.
REVIEWER: AKINYEMI FUNMILOLA

Many have said watching Nigerian movies is stressful and boring due to unrealistic storylines, bad pictures and sound, horrible and stunt performances, unnecessary waste of time, poor acting and then most of them run into part two or three or even have as much as five parts, which is usually only a scheme to make more money from viewers. Also most Nigerian movies are mass produced, that is the producers and directors of Nollywood do not take time to produce these movies.
The movie Omo Iya Aje is a movie that saves one from seeing this many flaws of Nigerian movies and Nollywood altogether. In Omo Iya Aje, Labake (Toyin Afolayan) is tagged a witch due to her hot-temper, domineering, and lousy behavior. She is also over protective of her son, Bayo (Femi Adebayo) who is the first son of the family, and tries to meddle in all areas of his life. She does not watch what she says and this gets her into trouble as some of her negative proclamation comes to past (the death of her step-son and the death of her suppose-to-be in-law). She is kicked out from her home as she is assumed to be the perpetrator.
Only later do we discover the real devil, the first wife Ajoke (Peju Ogunmola), who was painted as a gentle, nice, caring and loving person who would not hurt a fly. Little did everyone know she was the witch operating with Labake’s (Toyin Afolayan) image. This is at the end when she confesses all the atrocities and evil she has done to the family and why.
The scriptwriter did a very fantastic job with the choice of words as the plot is simple and straight forward.
The actors also acted their roles well, making it all look real. Toyin afolayan made the best out of the character she played also Pelu Ogunmola and Yinka Quadri also did good jobs with their roles. The scenes were important and well acted out as they made the story and characters understandable and time was also well managed.
The location/set manager did a nice job and so did the costume manager. Unlike many Nigeria movies especially Yoruba ones, the occult scene was very minimal. The only scene that was faulty was the office scene with Bayo and his colleagues.
The movie really pictured life in a polygamous home, especially one with a troublesome member. There were also laugh-aloud scenes in the movies, like scenes where Toyin Afolayan displayed her abusive skills.
The movie is one full of suspense and keeps you glued to your T.V screen because you won’t know what might happen next. Just as movies are meant to entertain, they are also meant to teach their viewers some lessons. This movie is one full of many moral lessons for the family, from the husband or father to the children. From this movie, one learns that we human are not good judges of character we only judge from what we see on the surface and also we must watch what we say and react to situations with wisdom.

FILM TITLE: Owo Eje
PRODUCER: Biodun Ibitola
DIRECTOR: Yomi Amodu
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2005
CAST: Lanre Balogun, kareem Adeporu, Lere Paimo, Sola Fasudo, Kola Oyewo, Dolapo Adewale
REVIEWER: AKINYEMI FUNMILOLA

If you are tired of watching the same thing in Nigerian movies (especially in Yoruba ones), stereotyped storylines, same modern day or olden day setting, this movie would be your big break, especially if you love crime drama.
Sule (Dolapo Adewale), a young Igbira man on his way to success and fortune through the hard work and time he invested in his cocoa plantation is suddenly killed/poisoned.The billion-dollar question that the first-ever Yoruba detective film asks becomes who killed Sule (Dolapo Adewale), tani pa sule?
Is it Josefu Igbira (Dosu Fatomilola), Sule's best friend and associate who gave the poisoned food to Sule on his arrival in Ondo?, or the handiwork of Ogundiran, another suitor to Bisi, Sule's heartthrob, who was seen coming out of the bush where Sule's corpse was found that fateful day?, or Chief Olowojehunjeje (Kola Oyewo), who Sule caught in a shady act and was blackmailing him for it, or Baba Wale, Sule's godfather and mentor who gave Sule palm wine?, or Lana, a driver wanted for murder in Lagos, that mixed poison with the cigarette he shared with Sule at Baba Wale's house?
These are the mysteries the police seek to unravel in the detective flick, Owo Eje. The movie is set in the early 70s and in the remote areas of ondo state. It is the period when cocoa cultivation is a thriving business and there is a transition from traditionalism to modernism.
The storyline of the film is different and far from what its title, Owo Eje (Blood money) suggest. Contrary to the impression the title might create in the minds of viewers, Owo Eje is not about ritual killing for money. I guess the concept behind its title, though quite shape and scarily, is its thematic relevance to the present-day society where money is worshipped at the impairment of human values.
Though adapted from Kola Akinlade’s novel Owo Eje which was first published in 1976, this story turned movie, is like Ola Rotimi’s “gods are not to blame” which was adapted from a western work into an African setting. Looking at the fun-loving, exuberant intelligent detective character that spends his leisure in bars and hotels, to the way the mystery is resolved without any diabolic means, and the way the movie is concluded, one would say the story is adapted from the western world, but well adapted.
It is one of the few movies that takes us back to the 70s and gives a very clear picture of the western part of Nigeria looked like through the locations, well chosen costume and make-up. Even the soundtrack properly matched the video.
The movie is also rich in Yoruba proverbs and is a clear depiction of the culture and lifestyle of the Yoruba people and is played out in a way that people who appreciate Yoruba language and rich heritiage would love.
The movie has its fair share of blackmail, tension, intrigues, counter intrigues, comedy and is also suspense packed as it moves to unravel the mystery surrounding the killing of Sule, the young Igbira farmer.
The movie is subtitled in English language and it ranks among Nigerian movies that enjoy some degree of international standard. From the acting of the star-studded film, to picture quality as well as directorial concept, Owo Eje, a Yoruba movie, is a viewer's delight. It can be enjoyed by all members of the family.

Let Your Phone Define Your Look

We usually forget that when we dress, part of the accessories that defines our look is the type of phone we use and the shape they are in. After wearing that killer shirt or dress and adding that powerful belt of lovely shoe to match, you already get that feeling of looking good and catching the eye of those around you, then you suddenly hear your phone ring and remember it. It becomes embarrassing when you have to bring out a horrible looking, battered phone, that is seriously begging for a change, but when you know you are picking or bringing out a shining, classy looking phone, it give you extra confidence and also adds to the type of reception you get and receive.

There are dozens of nice, good looking, classy and attractive phones available at affordable prices to chose from. They come in different shapes and sizes and also in different brands.

Phones in this world of global technology and high networking are assets that should be handled with care. Most people tend to think they toys and mishandle them. To enable them last longer, one should avoid dropping them, putting them near water, and over charging them and even charging them with extremely low current. Also, people using slid or flip phones should mind the way they flip or slid their phones because they are not toys.

Oga Police ooooooooo......

It pains my heart (i write the way i feel) when on my way home from work i pass through some bus-stops (especially General and around Abule-egba bus-stops) and see "Nigerian Policemen" people with the motto "Police is your FRIEND" by themselves cause traffic jam just to collect some "change" from bus drivers. What an irony, these policemen are our "friends" and are the ones who cause the traffic jam(hold-up) we get stress out from. The worst part is the fact that these “uniformed officers don’t have any sense of pride or dignity. Gone are those days when the “Nigerian Police Force” uniform was respected and feared, those days when you don’t misbehave when you see an officer or when you almost pee on your pants if you are told an officer wants to see you, these days the force has been reduced to nothing, one should see how conductors talk to these officers when they are giving them “change”.

Not that fear is good but aba, this guys should at least respect the uniform they wear even if their greed and corruption (as well factors that affect the Force) has killed the pride and dignity a normal human should have (seriously these guys are not normal, because why would a normal “Man”, the head of a family stand in the middle of the road, stop vehicles, and start begging, it is another form of begging naow make we talk truth. Worse part of this kin begging bi say na by force dem dey one collect am).

I just imagine what would happen if there is an emergence situation in which someone has to be rushed to the clinic and they are stop by the hold-up these greedy cops with no sense of dignity cause just to collect N20 or N50.