Category Archives: Romance

Nollywood Romance Genre

Revue of LARA AND THE BEAT

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="3558" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director :Tosin Coker

Producer(s) : Biola Alabi, Temi Coker, Tosin Coker,Tolu Olusoga and Aderonke Oshinjobi

Starring : Seyi Shay, Vector the Viper, Chioma Chukwuka, Uche Jombo, Somkele Iyamah, Shaffy Bello and Wale Ojo

Genre : Drama/Romance/Music

Release Date : July 20,2018

Music Director : Tee Y Mix

Awesome-O-Metre : 5.9/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Visit the official site[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D2lEje7vEgtA||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fnairabox.com%3A%209123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Revue of LARA AND THE BEAT" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]Lara And The Beat revolves around 2 sisters- Lara Giwa (Sheyi Shay) and Dara Giwa (Somkele Iyamah) who are born into affluence but when they lose all they have because of tax issues, they are thrust into unfamiliar terrain where they must battle to survive through music and entrepreneurship.

The plot of this film is a breath of fresh air because it isn’t something we have seen in a while and that it was properly executed makes it a fantastic film. The actors did a wonderful job bringing their characters to life especially Seyi Shay who (pleasantly) surprised me with her acting skills as a spoilt rich brat. I honestly expected a subpar performance from her, but I was amazed by how well she executed her role. Of course, my crush (Somkele) can do no wrong in interpreting her role but errr, Vector felt a bit wooden because his performance seemed to lack life as he seemed uneasy.

Another highlight of the film was the music which was well scored. I think Tee Y Mix did well in the music direction of Lara and The Beat. A scene which reverberated with me was where the family that took in the sisters were having their early morning devotion and their prayers had rhythm. That scene was both funny and well composed.

However, I must say I noticed a lot of continuity issues with Lara and The Beat. The film had no real perspective of time between scenes and it was difficult for the audience to ascertain the time lapse between events - whether it was days or weeks, we couldn’t tell. I guess they didn’t wasn’t to use the cliché style of using text to let us know the time lapse. A scene where this was pronounced was that where a character was beaten by the rain and in the next scene we see this character still dressed in the same clothing but the clothing was dry. This got me confused if the next scene happened immediately after the rain or was it another day? By the way, the effects for the rain wasn’t good enough, it was obviously fake…but them try small sha.

Another thing I found rather upsetting in Lara and The Beat was the product placements that littered the film. Everything from set locations to alcoholic beverages and even the outfits worn by the characters were adverts for various brands. We really need to find a way to advertise products in a subtle way rather than the all-in-your-face approach that was used in this film. But hey, the film will not pay for itself, will it?.

Lastly, the conclusion of Lara and The Beat was kinda underwhelming. I expected a good conclusion but in the attempt to tie all knots in a neat bow, it came off as rather rushed. Ehen, for all of you in a hurry to leave the screen once the credits started rolling, you probably may have missed a small post credit scene that was meant to put a closure to the film.

Anyways, Lara and The Beat was quite entertaining and makes for an enjoyable watch so if you see it, feel free to leave a comment below or on Twitter and Facebook .

Break a leg!

The Maveriq[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_video link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lEje7vEgtA" el_width="60" title="TRAILER FOR LARA AND THE BEAT"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

4/5 (2)

Your Turn!

Revue of THE EVE

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="3428" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director : Tosin Igho

Producer(s) : Femi Odugbemi and Hauwa Allahbura

Starring: John Okafor, Beverly Naya, Meg Otanwa, Kunle Remi, Adeolu Adefarasin, Mawuli Gavor, Ronke Oshodi, Ronke Odusanya and Uche Nwaefuna

Genre : Romance/Comedy

Release Date : March 30, 2018

Awesome-O-Metre : 4.9/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FUmtaJXW2Ylc%3Ft%3D10||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fnairabox.com%3A9123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Revue of THE EVE" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]The Eve follows the last days to the marriage celebration between Funsho (Adeolu Adefarasin) and Yewande (Beverly Naya) and the activities that occur in between; dress fittings, bachelorette parties/bridal showers and of course, the dreaded bachelor’s eve.

This movie is a feel good romantic comedy, just like your usual Nollywood movie. Ever seen a movie having preparation for a wedding as its central theme without drama? I thought as much. The Eve movie definitely had its doses of drama capitulating into the climax. To be honest, I would discuss what I liked about this movie, what I did not like and we would call it a wrap.

Just as I had stated earlier, The Eve is your basic feel good romantic comedy. It was not an ensemble cast but the familiar fresh faces were relaxing. If you are familiar with your Nigerian series – #Hush, #MTVShuga, #SkinnyGirlInTransit and #RumourHasIt – these actors would be well-known to you. From the minute I started seeing the movie, I already knew how the drama would be unfolded; however, the way it had panned out was well thought-out and properly executed. They tried with the lip-syncs though, it was almost believable.

Moving on to my low points on the movie, it was predictable. It was too predictable. It was so predictable that it missed boring by an inch. Suspense was definitely MIA and the plot was basic. Also, I was not all too convinced with the acting; it just was not fluid enough. The actors, in my opinion, seemed too conscious that they were acting and for me, they lost points on that. The movie was supposed to be a comedy but they missed it; some scenes had them doing too much of an attempt at comedy while at some scenes, they just missed it flat out. I think Nollywood still has not gotten how to execute a perfect comic movie.

The Eve wasn't exceptional because the execution of the plot, its resolution and the directing still needed a lot of work, but was a fairly decent romantic film.

The Eve is currently showing at cinemas so click HERE to get your discounted tickets and thereafter hit me up on Twitter and Facebook or in the comment section below to tell me what you think about the film.

Review contribution by Tofunmi - @T_AyaOba

Have a great week![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_video link="https://youtu.be/UmtaJXW2Ylc?t=10" el_width="70" title="TRAILER FOR THE EVE"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

No ratings yet.

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REVUE OF THE ROYAL HIBISCUS HOTEL

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="3360" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director : Ishaya Bako

Producer : Mo Abudu

Starring : Zainab Balogun, Kenneth Okolie, Deyemi Okanlawon, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju, Jide Kosoko and Rachel Oniga

Genre : Romance/Drama

Release Date : February 9, 2018

Music Director : Cobhams Asuquo

Awesome-O-Metre : 6.5/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Visit the official site[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0RfZ4gqdKiE||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fnairabox.com%3A9123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="REVUE OF THE ROYAL HIBISCUS HOTEL" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]No questions as to why this movie was released during the Valentine season! This is a real chick flick through and through. It however possesses enough heart to be appealing to a more masculine audience.

Zainab Balogun stars as Ope Adeniyi, A London Chef who, disillusioned by her failure to fulfil her ambitions, returns to Nigeria to lift the fortunes of her family business – The Royal Hibiscus Hotel. Unknown to her, her father (Jide Kosoko) is concluding plans to sell the hotel to multimillionaire heartthrob Deji (Kenneth Okolie) and his obnoxious partner Martin (Deyemi Okanlawon). She also has to contend with the matchmaking efforts of her mother (Rachel Oniga) and reject the advances of an old flame (O. C. Ukeje).

The storyline is clichéd as most romances tend to be, and there is practically no suspense. This left the job of holding the attention of the audience to the comedic efforts of Kemi Akindoju (Chika), Jide Kosoko, Rachel Oniga, and to a lesser extent Charles Inojie (Chef) and Ini Dima-Okojie (Joyce). Zainab and Kenneth however displayed some good chemistry – with all the awkwardness and silliness that is associated with falling in love.

I must commend Zainab particularly, as she displayed some naturalness in the kitchen showing that she had put in effort to research the role. After seeing movies like Chef and Burnt, I had to look out for this. I was pleasantly surprised at the location of the hotel, as in the course of my professional life I have been at that building quite a number of times, and recall thinking it would be a good setting for a colonial movie! The music was really great (I confess – to me, Cobhams Asuquo can do no wrong) and displayed a sufficient smattering of the Nigerian music scene. Also, apart from a few dips, the pace of the movie was quite consistent.

On the down side, I expected to see more of stellar duo Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs. I also felt that the resolution of the movie suggested a bit of materialism on the part of Ope, and Deji was a bit too nice and good so as to make him somewhat unreal (after you watch the movie, I would like to know if the pair of Deji and Martin reminded you of Pretty Woman).

In all, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel was a pretty good attempt to give life to a tiring storyline. You will get a few laughs, and may even get misty eyed and a fuzzy feeling in your stomach if you are the sentimental type. So click HERE to purchase your cheap movie tickets to see The Royal Hibiscus Hotel and don’t forget to hit me up on Twitter and Facebook  or in the comment section below to tell me what you think about The Royal Hibiscus Hotel

Have a great weekend!

Review by Noel Orji (@noelorji)

The Maveriq[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_video link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RfZ4gqdKiE" el_width="60" title="TRAILER FOR THE ROYAL HIBISCUS HOTEL"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] 3/5 (3)

Your Turn!

Revue of THE BRIDGE

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="3242" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director : Kunle Afolayan

Producer : Lasun Ray

Starring : Demola Adedoyin, Chidinma Ekile, Tina Mba, Zack Orji, Ayo Mogaji, Ken Erics, Lanre Hassan and Adebayo Salami

Genre : Drama/Romance

Release Date : December 8, 2017

Awesome-O-Metre : 4.5/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D-exhZsD7SLc||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fnairabox.com%3A9123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="THE BRIDGE" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]

The Bridge is about 2 love birds- a Yoruba prince and heir apparent (Demola Adedoyin) and an Igbo lady (Chidinma Ekile) from a distinguished Igbo family whose love is threatened by tribal sentiments but when the couple secretely get married, all hell breaks loose.

I’m a big fan of indigenous well researched movies especially two of Kunle Afolayan’s “The Figurine” and “October 1” and so I was beside myself with excitement going into the cinema. Of course, Kunle Afolayan never misses an opportunity to showcase deeper elements of the Yoruba culture but at least he did this one without coming across as spooky or Africa Magic-esque.

As always with Kunle, the camera work was fantastic and the lighting was spectacular and the use of traditional incidental music enhanced the feeling of unease that pervaded the film. Another highlight of the film as the casting. The characters were perfect with all the actors best suited for their roles…all except for the female lead – Chidinma Ekedile. Agreed this is her debut film and she did her best but she came off as self-conscious and seemed to struggle to articulate/convey the right type of emotions except the crying scenes where she expressed herself with a lot of ease. She had this shy, supposed-to-be-sweet and quiet demeanour which worked for a couple of scenes after which it felt like she was trapped in herself. It was a struggle to watch her scene after scene and was quite frustrating because if she had pushed a little bit harder (or if the director had demanded more of her) the outcome might have been better.

That being said, I think her and Demola Adedoyin had chemistry and were a cute and perfect fit physically. Now Demola Adedoyin was good, he had a fine balance display of bravery and emotion. He was very believable, and I felt the depth of his pain, love and courage in the face of opposition. Infact all the other characters were perfectly cast. From the Oba and Olori (Demola’s Parents) to Zack Orji and Tina Mba (Chidinma’s parents) to the high priests and Chiefs, they were absolutely brilliant.

I must say another draw back from the film was the plot. The plot started out okay with high expectations but sadly weakened as the movie progressed. The last scene was unbelievably weak it was shocking. I guess the idea was to make the climax less cliché and probably emotional but it came across as absurd and anti-climatic. In simple terms, the movie was a let-down especially as Kunle Afolayan has set the bar high in the industry as well more so The Bridge being a BOI Nollyfund project.

Anyways, if you want to go see it, you can get cheap tickets HERE. Don’t agree with the revue or the rating of The Bridge?  I am curious to hear what you have to say so feel free to hit me up on Twitter and Facebook

Review by Susan Okoh @yellowwdimples (Instagram)

Have a Merry Christmas guys!

The Maveriq

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2/5 (1)

Your Turn!

Revue of THE WEDDING PARTY 2- DESTINATION DUBAI

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="3218" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director :Niyi Akinmolayan

Producer :Mo Abudu

Starring : Eyinna Nwigwe, Adesuwa Etomi, Daniella Down, Sola Shobowale, Beverly Naya, Banky W and Richard Mofe Damijo

Genre : Romance/Comedy

Release Date : December 9, 2017

Awesome-o-Metre : 5.9/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Visit the official site[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FMU6pkGpUOiQ%3Ft%3D25||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fnairabox.com%3A9123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Revue of THE WEDDING PARTY 2- DESTINATION DUBAI" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px" el_class="She said YES, there is only one problem - he didn’t ask."][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]She said YES, there is only one problem - he didn’t ask.

The Wedding Party 2 is the sequel to the rom-com blockbuster The Wedding Party which was released about this time last year and it follows what ensued after Dozie’s brother (Enyinna Nwigwe), Nonso pulled Deidre (Daniella Down) in for a kiss and the series of dramatic events that leads to their eventual nuptials.

As expected, this movie is a star-studded comedy and I definitely had my series of laughs. So, I would discuss my view of the movie in two parts – the good and the errr, not-so-good.

The picture quality and score on this movie was top-notch. I particularly liked the choice of Nigerian songs and how they flowed seamlessly into the movie. I also liked how they tried to sell Dubai to us; it was in your face but not too all over the place. The movie also had a good storyline (like who proposes by accident) even though expected...98% of Nigerian movies are in the romantic genre (rolls eyes). I also liked how they did not dwell too much on Dozie and Dunni; the spotlight was fixed on Nonso and Deidre.

On the not-so-good aspect, too many cooks spoiled this broth. It was an ensemble cast with so many needless scenes and so many unnecessary characters. This affected the overall comedy of the movie...they were all trying too hard to be funny. I also did not understand the sound...like their voices had been recorded in a studio and so, they seemed to be lip-syncing. I also felt that the directing could have been better; the acting at several points just seemed forced and unreal. And yes, the continuity did not do it for me. It seemed like they had so many things to say and do and they had to cram it all into 90 minutes of film and as such, kept jumping into scenes without sufficient backstories.

All in all, The Wedding Party 2 may not have been as good as the first installment (they hardly are) but it still makes for an enjoyable watch and good fun especially this Christmas season.

I am sure you have heard that the tickets are fast selling and cinemas are always overbooked so why not jump the queue and secure a seat by clicking HERE to buy a ticket and afterwards hit me with your comments below or on Twitter or Facebook and let me know what you think about The Wedding Party…or any other film for that matter.

Revue Contribution by Tofunmi @T_AyaOba

The Maveriq[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_video link="https://youtu.be/MU6pkGpUOiQ?t=25" el_width="70" title="TRAILER FOR THE WEDDING PARTY 2- DESTINATION DUBAI"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] 2.33/5 (3)

Your Turn!

Revue of MY WIFE AND I

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="3003" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director : Bunmi Ajakaiye

Starring : Omoni Oboli, Ramsey Nouah, Seyi Law, Rachel Oniga, Jemima Osunde, Dorcas Shola Fapson and Sambasa Nzeribe

Genre : Romance/Comedy

Release Date : August 25, 2017

Awesome-o-metre : 5.0/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DIKP2IXIeJPE||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fnairabox.com%3A9123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Revue of MY WIFE AND I" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]My Wife And I tells a story of Toyosi (Ramsey Nouah) and Ebere (Omoni Oboli), a seemingly happy couple but going through a turbulent marriage. When they seek the help of a suspicious marriage councillor cum pastor (Seyi Law) who prays for them, they somehow wake up in each other's bodies and are forced to pretend to be each other with hilarious consequences.

Body swap movies are not novel (in Hollywood or Nollywood) but it is a dicey movie plot to navigate because other than its clichéd and predictable direction, it relies heavily on the comedic talents of its actors to pull off. To this extent, the acting talent of Ramsey & Omoni was decent enough to get a few laughs from the audience.

That being said, the movie suffered from the drawbacks from movies of its kind specifically the clichéd scenes. The early part of the film featured the couple unsure on how to conduct themselves as people of the opposite sex, while these scenes were funny, they were expected. The audience kept expecting something more but sadly there really want more to come of it. Another predictable feature of the film was its conclusion which was simply unavoidable.

I admit My Wife And I elicited a few laughs, but they were few and far in between with the film going for extended stretches without any real humour to hold on to.

I applaud the producers of My Wife And I for daring to take on this overbeaten plot and try to infuse a fresh dimension to it, but it somehow a tad bit underwhelming for me.

My Wife And I will give you a few chuckles and makes for a good viewing so get your ticket HERE to go see it in any cinema in Nigeria. Subsequently, hit me up on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and let me know what you think.

Break a leg!

The Maveriq[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_video link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKP2IXIeJPE" el_width="60" title="TRAILER FOR MY WIFE AND I"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] No ratings yet.

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Revue of HAKKUNDE

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="2942" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director : Asurf Oluseyi

Producer : Asurf Oluseyi

Starring :Kunle Idowu, Toyin Abraham, Seyi Law, Rahama Sadau, and Ali Nuhu

Genre : Drama/Comedy

Release Date : August 4, 2017

Awesome-O-Metre : 6.9/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DrfNYveTzveU||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fnairabox.com%3A9123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Revue of HAKKUNDE" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]Hakkunde (pronounced Akande) follows the travails of Akande (Kunle Idowu aka Frank Donga) an unemployed graduate of Animal Science who after a 4-year unsuccessful job search in Lagos relocates to the north (Kaduna) in the hope of making it. Things don’t turn out as he expected, setting him on an unusual path of self-discovery and love.

I won’t lie, when I heard this film wasn’t a comedy, I was truly afraid that it might turn out to be one of those run of the mill films that will just anger someone. But boy was I wrong! Not in a long time have we seen a movie laden with so much meaning. I guess my hesitation was borne from the fact that Frank Donga is known for his comedic nature rather than his inspirational qualities but he has shown us that he is indeed talented in versatility.

The most appealing aspect of this film is it simplicity. The simplicity spanned across every facet of the film - from the way it was shot to the acting and even the plot. Everything was simple and easy to follow. Hakkunde reminds one of the educational films the BBC used to shoot in Nigeria or those UNICEF sponsored films about child spacing that oozed with class and simplicity.

Honestly, I am pleased with the proliferation of Kannywood into mainstream Nollywood with people like Ali Nuhu and Rahma Sada flying the flag. I like that they didn’t use posers pretending to be Hausa-speaking folk. Another thing this film highlighted is that the north isn’t all about violence and religious extremism but are a welcoming people willing to accept everyone. Also, the film showcased the serenity and beauty that adorns the northern landscape.

Conversely, there was this one scene that featured a dance troupe which didn’t quite come off and should have been done away with because it seemed disjointed and didn’t add anything to the film.  Furthermore, Hakkunde was inspirational but maybe not as entertaining and this is probably because Hakkunde’s direction is to inspire and enlighten rather than merely amuse .

Frank Donga showed us he is funny and versatile (although I wasn’t impressed with his fake hair). Toyin Abraham was funny as hell and my Hausa brothers sprinkled finesse, charm and beauty to make it an all-round feel good film. I do encourage everyone to go see this film if for nothing but to help in the films cause. When you see it, please look out for the soundtrack by my boy Classiq and also the scene with the Late Bukky Ajayi which gave me chills.

If you have seen the Hakkunde, please leave a comment in the comment section below, or on FACEBOOK, TWITTER and INSTAGRAM. If you haven’t, click HERE and get cheap tickets to see it a cinema near you.

Over and out!

The Maveriq[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_video link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfNYveTzveU" el_width="60" title="TRAILER FOR HAKKUNDE"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] No ratings yet.

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Revue of BANANA ISLAND GHOST

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="2948" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director : BB Sasore

Producer : Biola Alabi

Starring: Patrick Diabuah, Chioma ‘Chigul’ Omeruah, Ali Nuhu, Saidi Balogun, Damilola Adegbite and Bimbo Manuel

Genre : Comedy/Drama

Release Date :August 4, 2017

Awesome-O-Metre : 6.7/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Visit the official site[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiYvjcNkgqw0||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fnairabox.com%3A9123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Revue of BANANA ISLAND GHOST " use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]Banana Island Ghost is about Patrick Diabuah (aka The Ghost) who has been given three days by “God” to find his soul mate before leaving for heaven and he is matched with Ijeoma (Chigurl) who is preoccupied with saving her Banana Island residence from bankers who want to foreclose the property. Hilarity ensues.

For all you who thought that Chigurl was just a fluke, well you were wrong! Banana Island Ghost is the movie that announces her arrival into mainstream movies. Just like Frank Donga, Chigurl has made a seamless transition from skits to Nollywood. She was absolutely hilarious and I will agree with the description that she is Nigeria’s own Melissa McCarthy.

Still on the topic of funny people, I have to mention Akah Nnani who was the sergeant. That dude played a minor role, but whenever he came around, he had the audience in stitches. His collaboration with Saidi Balogun will leave you lolling all over the place.

This film was obviously made by geeks as you could tell from the attention to the production especially the CGI and the camera shots. There was so much emphasis on the CGI especially when it came to the Ghost or the fight scenes having perfect angles and curious camera shots and of course they couldn’t resist slipping in a ninja. The aerial shots especially the one on the 3rd mainland bridge were truly breath-taking and this brings me to the color grading of the film which was phenomenal with the producers successfully making Lagos look like the abroad. Honestly, you will not see a better production in a while to come.

Another thing this film got going for it is its marketing which has been top notch and has kept the audience engaged and anticipating the film.  Still talking about marketing, mehn I have never seen so much obvious product placement wawu! From Kilimanjaro to Cold Stone and even Coca-Cola and the geeky producers couldn’t resist the temptation to throw in a talking Kia vehicle. I know producers need money for films but we really need to learn how to do subtle marketing.

That said, the attention to the production was at the determinant of the real direction of the film which was the comedic aspect of the film.  I feel there could have been more funny scenes in the film but there were a few good laughs to get the film across the line. I don’t want to spoil it for you but my favourite was the laxative scene. Though the it’s clichéd you can never go wrong with a fart scene. Enough said.

I read a scathing review of this film and I don’t quite agree with it so please let me know what you think of Banana Island Ghost in the comment section below, or on my social media (FACEBOOK, TWITTER and INSTAGRAM.)

Have a blast!

The Maveriq[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_video link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYvjcNkgqw0" el_width="60" title="TRAILER FOR BANANA ISLAND GHOST"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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Revue of THE INLAWS

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="2882" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director :Charles Uwagbai

Producer : Bola Oba

Main Cast : Toyin Abraham, Chris Attoh, Dele Odule, Ayo Mogaji, Charles Inojie and Ngozi Nwosu

Genre : Romance/Comedy

Release Date : July 14, 2017[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Visit the official site[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dfir-wXIPnXY%26feature%3Dyoutu.be||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fnairabox.com%3A9123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height="25px" el_class="Revue of THE INLAWS "][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]Revue of The Inlaws by Herjia Eliel

Synopsis

The Inlaws is about Tobi Balogun, (Chris Attoh) a 35-year-old, naturalist doctor, and son to Rtd. Police Sergeant, Abu Balogun, (Dele Odule). Tobi is in love with, and is ready to marry Nancy Okezie, (Toyin Abraham) 30, daughter of Donald Okezie, (Charles Inojie) an old-school Lawyer.

However, trouble starts after they secretly get engaged, and introduce each other to their families. Donald Okezie remembers Abu Balogun as an unrepentant liar who scuttled his biggest lawsuit, and coupled with the fact that Tobi is a naturalist doctor, which Donald terms as a herbalist, he decides to prevent his daughter from marrying Tobi.

Abu Balogun remembers Donald as the man who snatched his first love and wife, then frustrated his promotion. Hence he decides not only to separate his son from the Nancy, but also punish Donald for his past sins.

Revue

I have to say kudos to the director Charles Uwagbai and the Screen play writer Gbenga Adesanya for this simple but entertaining script. The directing was really good -  same with the lighting, sound and costume. I think the most endearing aspect of the film is its simplicity.

The acting was very good and I was so happy to see Toyin Abraham in a more serious role (not that I don’t like the funny side to her) but, it’s good to see her being different than from what we are used to. Charles Inojie’s interpretation of his character as a retired lawyer was phenomenal and I really want to see more of him.

There were no unnecessary scenes as every scene was relevant to the movie which made sure the storyline wasn’t flat and pointless. The cinema was all laughs till the end. As funny as the movie was it still managed to address a real life issue a lot of people face when getting hitched.

However, I must note that the plot isn’t novel and has been dragged in both local and foreign movies. But it’s an enjoyable movie.

Revue contribution by Eliel

Enjoy your day!

The Maveriq[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_video link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fir-wXIPnXY&feature=youtu.be" el_width="60" title="TRAILER FOR THE INLAWS"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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REVUE OF 10 DAYS IN SUN CITY

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="2793" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director : Adze Utah

Producer(s) : Ayo “AY” Makun and Darlington Aduba

Main Cast : Ayo “AY” Makun, Adeswa Etomi, Richard Mofe Damijo, Ali Baba and Mercy Johnson

Genre : Drama/Comedy

Release Date :June 23, 2017

Awesome-O-Metre : 4.5/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxFxYgGPD0fU||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#ffbe49" custom_text="#0a0a0a" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nairabox.com%3A9123%2Fmovies%2Findex.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Guest review of 10 Days In Sun City by Eliel Awoniyi" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]Another installment in the Akpos series stars AY Makun reprising his role as the rambunctious Akpos who accompanies Bianca (Adesuwa) the winner of a beauty pageant to Sun City, South Africa for a photo shoot. However, Otunba Williams (RMD) a wealthy businessman also has eyes for the beautiful Bianca and this sets him against Akpos.

I didn't expect it to be better than the last two so no surprise there. I'm a bit lost as to why there were so many celebrities and it was obvious they had to create some scene to put them in coz they were just too much. There was 2baba, Ali Baba, Solid Star, Juliet Ibrahim, Uti, Falz, Freeze, Alex Ekubo, Yvonne Jegede, Fathia Balogun, Gbenro Ajibade, one of the Psquare brothers I mean common, that’s a little too much don’t you think? But maybe that’s our Nigerian way for compensating for shallow plots.

AY is not funny at all and he struggled to be funny in this movie it's such a sad sight. He kept rehashing his jokes from his standup shows and I didn't understand the point to the movie, at some point I thought they were trying to address what goes on in the modelling business but I was wrong. Too much time was wasted showing us Akpos and Bianca taking pictures in Sun City and Otunba wooing Bianca probably because of the lack of depth in the movie or just simply marketing.

However, 10 Days In Sun City wasn’t all bad because among all the installment in the Akpos series, this is the first one that seemed to have any real storyline (shallow as it may have been). I guess we will have to put it down to the new script writer (I didn’t catch that person’s name). Also, I was super impressed with the picture quality and cinematography which was immaculate and absolutely stunning especially the transition between scenes.

So... here is my honest thoughts on 10 Days In Sun City- the film was below average, yes below average.

I have seen quite a lot of complaints online about AYs movies but somehow he has a lot of box office success, so how is this happening? Is it marketing or that truly this is the kind of movies we appreciate in Nigeria? I am curious to hear what you think about this so please leave your comment in the comment section below or drop in on my social media.

Eid Mubarak everyone.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_video link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFxYgGPD0fU" el_width="60" title="TRAILER FOR 10 DAYS IN SUN CITY"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

1/5 (1)

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