Street President

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Street President ~ 2009
Story, Screenplay and Direction – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Mike Ezuruonye – Matthew
Tchidi Chikere – Spirit
Chika Ike – Nene
Jimmy B – Doug (Jimmy Y Bangura)
Ijeoma Azuka – Abel
Ed Nnasor – Mr Johnson
Collette Nkem Orji – Calista
Jospeh Mike – Doctor
Chinaza Ekpere – Rice Seller

Themes:
Passion
Karma
Sacrifice
Family
Love

My Rating – 56%

A poor local boy called Matthew; after finding out that serious money is to be made from fighting on the street enters a local competition. He wins his first fight, makes some money and gets himself a manager, Doug. Soon he becomes a feared and renowned street fighter called Street President or “Preso” as his manager calls him. Tied to the streets it is only the love of a woman that takes him out of it, but the pull is strong and though his body is out of the streets his mind is still there.

*************SPOILERS*************

You know it’s a Tchidi movie when as soon as you pop the disc into the player you are assaulted by his music. First we see the video for his telephone single. You know that tune used to get on my nerves. Now I find myself singing it. I swear I know all the words! The self promotion doesn’t end there. There is a next tune and then the plugging of the album GOLD. See I know the name of it. Shameless plugging does work.
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Does Matthew not think it odd that the guy pushing himself to become his manager dashed away his current charge, a millisecond after the guy lost the fight to run after a new anonymous guy who he has only seen fight ONCE? I guess this was meant to show us that Matthew was that good a fighter. To me it was not believable and Matthew should have at least pulled him up on that, because the same way he dashed the guy that he was managing would be the same way he could dash Matthew in the event that he lost a fight in future.

Added to that how are we meant to believe that Matthew is a formidable street fighter and his physique does not even match? Nonsense! Casting correctly is essential. Acting well is one thing, but the person chosen has to really fit the role and I don’t believe Mike fit the role.

Matthew is an orphan, didn’t pass secondary school, lives in an unfinished building and is desperate for cash. Why on earth does he look so clean, well dressed and then to top it off well spoken? He did not make a believable street boy to me at all. I thought he was too much of a pretty boy for the role and even then they could have had him looking and sounding rough and local like the other street fighters we see in the movie.

So Mike falls ill with hypertension. He is a young man and supposedly fit enough to be a street fighter and he has hypertension all of a sudden – YEAH RIGHT! That would be very odd, and there is no explanation as to what would have caused a fit and healthy young man to be suffering from hypertension to the extent that he is fainting in the street and has to stop fighting.
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So many things were just unrealistic in this movie. We are given the impression that Doug truly does not like his “baby mama” as he calls her but then one day they get back together all of a sudden. I found it all so fake. When Doug would go and visit the son he was made to talk to him outside of the compound because his mother did not like him or want him in the house. She found his lifestyle abhorrent and was not in support of it.

I could believe that she started falling for him again because of the immense love he was showing towards his son, but no when she tells him that she has not stopped loving him, on one of the outside the compound visits she tells him that she wants him back because of the fact that he son loves and accepts him for who he is and so she will too. Rubbish! Why all of a sudden do you think street fighting and smoking is ok when you didn’t previously? A kid will accept his father no matter what, even if he is a killer. Since when do adults measure their actions and decisions on a kid’s?
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The time line in this movie was fugged! In part 2 Matthew stands up to his bully boss and tells him, “I’m that kid they call the Street President because I mad my name on the streets.” However we never see him winning numerous fights or making this name he is boasting about. Pretty much as soon as he started he got into the fighting game he got hypertension, fell in love with Nene and came out of the biz. Perhaps more effort should have gone into mentioning previous wins even if they were not going to be shown, so that we could get an idea of how big his reputation was before this scene.

In Part 2 Matthew and Nene break up because of his flirtations with a girl in his dance class. Even the execution of this was disappointing. Matthew had never shown signs throughout the film of being a womaniser in any way. Even when Calista approaches him in the street and is madly flirting with him he seems not to notice or be interested in her. So how on earth did he go from not even noticing her when she was throwing herself at him to practically drooling over and molesting her during an aerobics class ALL ON THE SAME DAY? This did not make sense at all.
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I liked the girl who played the orange seller in the movie. I’m assuming she is credited as the rice seller as I don’t remember any rice seller, so for now let us assume her name is Chinaza Ekpere unless Chinaza comes to come and debunk that. Her role was small but she played it well, interpreting fear without overacting it as would have been so easy. I’d like to see her in a bigger role to see what she can really do.

Collette Nkem Orji played Calista and her performance was on point. (When will the majority of credits be correct in Nollywood? They spelt this poor girl’s name wrong and I only found out the right spelling through facebook) She was that girl that everybody loves to hate; the man snatcher, the unrepentant cheat, materialistic and cocky with it. I think she has a natural comic ability. In one scene near the end of the movie she packs out of her boyfriend’s house and goes to meet Matthew, assuming that he has money and is staying in a hotel. When she finds out that he too is homeless she freaks out. He tries to calm her down,

“Money will come”

“Eh heh, money will come?” she says walking away.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going far away from this your shit life.”

Karma is indeed a bitch because she runs back to her ex boyfriend that she left for Matthew and he refuses to let her back into the compound. Instead of begging she starts abusing him. This scene had to be the funniest in the movie. She is outside with nowhere to go; bag packed and starts screaming,

“According to you, now you have dumped me. Can you dump me? Do I look like someone you can dump – rubbish!”

After all that she mumbles to herself,

“Eh God! I don fock op!”

Mike’s performance was adequate in that he did his thing but the characterisation was all wrong. Chika Ike was just there. I find her such a boring actress. She has no charisma at all. Jimmy B was good but could have been better without all the Americanisms, but then that was probably scripted so not really his fault. Tchidi did well keeping to a minor role. He actually wasn’t bad at all.
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I would say the movie is worth watching if you have nothing better to do. The story line was something different to the usual and in spite of all the things that were nonsensical it is an entertaining watch. I guess the message it was trying to put out there was that people should be accepted for who they are because some things can never been changed and even if they are it is only temporary.

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Father’s Blood

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Father’s Blood ~ 2009
Story, Screenplay and Direction – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Mike Ezuruonye – Matthew
Mercy Johnson – Olivia
Patience Ozokwor – Salome
Ifeanyi Ikechukwu – Sarge
John Mgbere – Chief Orthega
Vivian Ezejiaku – Nurse
Ugo Uwagbama – Ishmael
Sunday Irogboli – Akpan
Jefrey Iloba – Briggs
Sochima Jonathan – Grace
Jonathan Ganagana – Thomas
Sule Rahmat – Mimi
Chukwuoma Ejikeme – Abigail
Nneji Uju – Ugo

Themes:
Forced Retirement
Family
Love
Alcoholism

My Rating 77%

Sarge’s bosses have told him that they want to retire him at the end of the month. He is not in support of this at all as he is still fit and desperate to work because he has a family to support including a 23 year old son in school. His pleas to keep his job fall on deaf ears and his bosses will not recant their decision. In a fit of desperation Sarge resorts to extreme measures to ensure that his family are provided for, and he is willing to lose his life in the process.

*************SPOILERS************

Sarge played by Ifeanyi Ikechukwu is a G. As he robs the Bureau de Change where he works as a security guard he points the gun at his boss, who is laying face down on the floor and roars at him,

“Chief, you want to retire me? Come and retire me now! You want to retire me again? I will retire you now!”

Ifeanyi is cast well as the man who is driven to an out of character act by desperation. The torment is written all over his face through his expression. He interpreted the role very well. Forced retirement is a real issue that people of retirement age have to deal with every day the world lover. They are made to feel useless and hopeless even if they are able bodied and fit to work as we can see in this movie. Having no job with a family to support knocks Sarge’s pride as a man.

On the other hand the role of the Chief was minor but majorly butchered. Chief Chief! What can I say – this guy’s acting is more that horrible. Maybe if I say it in French it will lessen the pain I felt when watching him. Il est très horrible!!! His name is John Mgbere and I surely hope not to see him again unless he is not talking. If he is somebody’s friend or relative… A beg was it necessary for him to have a speaking role?
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After Sarge commits the robbery he speeds off in the getaway car to some remote woodland area where he buries the suitcase. He then calls his wife and tells her where he has buried the money and what he intends for her to do with it,

“It is for Matthew… Tell him it is his father’s blood. He must use that money and become someone in life.”

He then directs her to present the money to him in 2 years time when he is 25. In this we see a father’s love for his son and desire to see him son succeed where he did not. He is even willing to give up his life to ensure that his son enjoys a better quality of life. He knows that his boss will come for his family if he simply runs away so he makes sure that he alerts them to where he is by shooting his rifle, so that they will kill him and in turn leave his family alone.
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Why are we shown Salome, Sarge’s wife taking money out of the gold case and hiding it under the bed? I thought she was doing that to then get rid of the suitcase but then fast-forward to two years later when she is presenting Matthew with the money and we see all the money neatly stacked back in the gold case. Why show her taking it out of the case? Why not have her hide the whole case underneath the bed? That made no sense to me.

Matthew is told to use the money wisely but what does the stupid boy go and do? He goes to buy a car to impress a girl that he was hawking goods on the roadside with, all because she says she will sleep with him if he has a car! He comes by where she sells her new goods with his new car and on top of that he is decked out in sunglasses and some brand spanking new attire. I thought this was a bit too much of a transformation in the one day. So because he buys a car he must go on a shopping trip too?

Matthew’s change in character I felt was too sudden. You have bought a car and some new clothes and all of a sudden you are talking with a posh-ish accent, it felt a little unbelievable to me. On the contrary when he decks out Olivia in her new clothes she looks different but still retains the local razzness that she had about her.
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Matthew squanders his money on fast living and after his car is wrecked he really has nothing at all to show for it. His mother finds out and is distraught that her husband has died for nothing. Olivia almost gets herself killed by Matthew after he sees her talking to a man in the hotel where she is staying, and finds himself in prison because of this. We see how his father’s ill gotten gains have only brought his misery, but should the sins of the father be revisited upon the son?

We see how the pressure of trying to live up to his parent’s expectations and the guilt on his head about not making the most of his father’s sacrifice leads Matthew to using alcohol and sometimes weed as a coping mechanism.

There is a scene in part 2 which is hilarious. Olivia is now born again and trying to get Matthew to straighten out his life and marry her but despite the more modest dress you can still see the thug in her. She rolls up to his house determined to change his life by force. When he tries to escape her she grabs him and wraps her legs around him to the point where her asks her, “Is it by force to marry?” to which she exclaims, “yes!”Another hilarious scene involving Mercy Johnson is when she sees him on the street with one of his girls. She beats her up in the middle of the street and then runs back to Matthews house ready to descend on him should he come back. She then sees him with his alcohol and chases him until she wrestles the containers from him!
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Alocholism and addiction is an important topics touched on in the movie. We see how the effects go beyond the person who is addicted. People close to an alcoholic are affected in that they have to deal with the erratic behaviour, the aggression, the stealing, and the shame involved. Matthew thinks only of alcohol. One one occasion he runs out of money and screams at his mother,

“Give me money ooo and let me go and drink beer before the cold ones go hot.”

It is comic but so tragic at the same time. The ending was unpredicatable. I thought it was going to be a fairy tale ending where Matthew becomes born again and he and Olivia live happily ever after. It was not an idealistic ending in that sense but it was very real. Very often where addiction is involved there actually is no happy ending and lives are wrecked or lost in the process. It is a sad situation where a mother sees the only way for her son to be free is in taking his life, and Salome expresses that out loud,

“It is good for you to be dead… I have watched you drowning in your own vomit… I have set you free.”
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I liked this movie. I would recommend it. The main characters played their roles well and complimented each other. The use of the slow motion and sound effects to go along with it at the end of the movie were very nicely done and added to the dramatics of the whole scene. My only criticisms would be the sudden change in Mike’s accent. Sound also needed some improvement. Many times when the scene would change there would be a block in sound which was very noticeable and it happened more than one. THUMBS UP!

NB: At the end of Part 1 there is an epilogue despite the part 2 Tchidi why? I want to know. Is this in case people only buy part 1 or what? Someone please tell me! I believe this movie is 2009 but then in one scene they have Mike singing Sisquo’s unleash the dragon so who really knows if this is repackaged or not?

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True Story

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

True Story ~ 2009
Story, Screenplay and Direction – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Ini Edo – Oyoo
Nkem Owoh – Papi
Chinelo Oloh – Igbemma
Gaddiel Onwudiwe – Obiako
Pat Asore – Ezinnne
Esther Ugwu – Woman
Ijeh Myke – Ojoto
Daniella Chioma Okeke – Alice
Danaliton Onyia – Biker man
Ifeanyi Ikechukwu – Agodi

Themes:
Spirits
Pregnancy
Dehumanisation of house help

My Rating – 55%

Oyoo is Papi’s pregnant wife who is forever moaning. Papi is the downtrodden husband who despite his best efforts cannot seem to make his over emotional and fussy wife happy. He puts up with her whims because she is pregnant but her whimsical behaviour soon takes a toll on him and very soon he finds happiness outside of his marital home. Happiness comes in the form of Igbemma, a house girl that he meets in the bush while looking for locusts to eat for Oyoo. Their meetings become regular and Papi stops pandering to his wife’s every whim.

*************SPOILERS*************

I actually found Ini’s character Oyoo quite annoying. She was supposed to be a nagging wife, but the behaviour was beyond nagging. This was something else. She would cry that he didn’t wake her up for the sunset, request that he make a special dish, and then after he’d made it want something else instead. I would not call that nagging but mental instability. In the first scene we see her waking up Papi in the middle of the night with her incessant crying. When he asks what is wrong she tells him in a whiny voice,

“I want to eat mixed pepper soup and yam”

As soon as Papi meets Igbemma in the bush he stops pandering to Oyoo’s every whim and there is a role reversal in that she starts catering to him in the way that he was to her. Harmony lasts barely a day before Oyoo starts her whining and crying over a dream she has, and so this back and forth between Oyoo and Papi continues with Oyoo being fine one minute and then whining and crying the next.

For me Igbemma’s death should have been close to the end of the movie. I mean after she died I had no more interest in watching the movie. I did not find the “haunting” scenes particularly interesting, sad or funny. It was all just a bit underwhelming. I did not see any chemistry between Nkem and Ini, and just slight chemistry with Nkem and Chinelo. Considering the fact that he fell in love with her I would have expected to see more chemistry.

I thought that the concept was good to a degree. We learn something a human’s need to be loved and wanted. Igbemma and Papi find each other at the right time when they are both in need. On the surface the two appear to be mismatched. Igbemma is the free spirit who gets joy from the simple act of gazing into the sky and from dancing in the fields and letting the spirits move her. These things are strange to Papi but with her help he soon begins to derive joy and look forward to these simple things too. Her life as a house help where she is beaten and humiliated on a daily basis becomes pleasurable in that she is able to share these things with Papi and likewise his life too changes as he is able to escape the burden that is his wife and feel carefree, if only temporarily.
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Technically I could not fault this movie. There was nothing wrong with it that I could put my finger on, ooops! Except the sound; that was pretty awful like someone walking in front of a speaker…  but I just found it booooooring *yawn.* If the movie had stopped at any point in the first part (you know how these CD malfunctions go down? LOL) I would not have particularly cared to find out what happened. I would have happily ejected the CD and not even tried wiping it to attempt playing it again. The movie just did not evoke any emotion or reaction in me, be in laughter, sadness, surprise, horror… Just nothing.

Only towards the end of the movie did I really sit up and pay attention. This was where Papi is going to lay Igbemma to rest in her village. I enjoyed Papi’s interaction with Alice played by Damiella Chioma Okeke. It was very playful and they seemed very comfortable with each other. Those last scenes were the best bits of the whole movie. I would recommend this for people who like very slooooooooow village movies. For everyone else… give it a miss.

NB: This movie says 2009, but I suspect it’s repackaged. If anyone had any further info on that let me know! Nollywood Production Watch Nigerian African Movies Movie Reviews Review Lagos Idumota

Be Not Afraid

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Be Not Afraid ~ 2009
Story, Screenplay and Direction – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Ali Nuhu – Terry
Tchidi Chikere – Malik
Rita Dominic – Issae
Pat Attah – Billy
Orji Gospel – DPO1
Gaddiel Onwudiwe – DPO 2
Chigozie Okolie – Officer Robert
Junior Pope Nwodu – Gogo
Irentia Nneka Eze – Bemi
Makati Nonwanus – Bishop
Ijeoma Azuka – John
Voke Stever – Nurse Mary
Pah Ogah – Irene
Mary Igwe – Ingrid
David Aginwa – Titus
Ifunanya Nwuobuike – Desree
Chinonso Ogbuka – Miran
Frank Nwabuoke – Taxi Driver
Blessing Ekechukwu – Gogo Girlfriend

Themes:
Abandonment
Abduction
Single Motherhood
Forgiveness
Grief
Death

My Rating – 67%

Malik is part of a carjacking cartel. One day he spots a pretty young woman driving a slick new jeep. She leaves the car and enters a grocery store at which time Malik jacks the vehicle and takes it back to his boss’ base only to discover on opening the back doors that there is a baby boy lying on the back seat. After the initial panic subsides it is decided by the cartel that the baby will be returned to the mother, but first they need to enquire as to where the mother lives. Rita is distraught at being separated from her son and thinks constantly only of where he is and how he is. In the meantime Malik becomes protective over and attached to the baby boy.

Fate is to keep mother and son apart for longer than the gang reckoned as when Malik goes to return the child the area is teeming with police and so they abandon the mission with the intent of returning the boy another day. That day never comes as the baby dies in Malik’s hands despite his best efforts to keep him alive.

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Malik befriends Rita and after gaining her trust they become close. He soon breaks the news to her that he is the one that abducted her son. Can you imagine after she breaks down he tells her,

“Don’t make me cry. I want to talk.” Um what did you really expect?

He then makes a call,

“Hello is that 999. I need you to arrest me.” I didn’t know that Nigeria use 999. Do they?
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The dead baby scene is ridiculous. The baby is supposedly wrapped in cloth but the lump that they come up with is not even baby shaped! Why did they not just wrap a doll up if a real baby could not be used?

Malik’s lines were so corny. When he comes across Issae sitting outside he goes up to her and says,

“Never before have I seen a lady sitting how you are sitting… head bowed and tears squeezing out of your eyes.”

There are not even tears coming out of Issae’s eyes and the guy is just there yarning rubbish.

Another corny line,

“My heart reaches out to you with heartfelt pity.”
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This lace front syndrome is hitting Nollywood hard and I for one am not loving it at all. Love Rita bad but do not love all the baby hair all in the edges of the lacefront all long, wispy and flyaway. It really does not look good and as far as I’m concerned if you are over the age of 5 or your name ain’t Chilli from TLC then there is no need for all the baby hairs. I just hope this lacefront obsession is fleeting.

At the end of part 1 Tchidi does the epilogue thing like he did in Friends in Love (Used People) and Beautiful Soul. This is despite there being a part 2. What is up with that? It looks kinda shoddy. He then had another epilogue at the end of part 2. Is it that it was going to be one part and he changes his mind? If anybody knows why holla!
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I loved the story but Tchidi is getting above himself casting himself as the lead role. With Ali, Tchidi and Pat replaced this movie could have been soooo much better. That in itself knocked off a good few percentage points. When will he realise that acting is not his forte? I suggest that he goes to rendezvous with his pal Van in New York and hit up those acting classes and just maybe then after extensive training we will be able to say good things. This is a must if he insists on continuing to be in front of the camera.

Ali Nuhu too I wasn’t really feeling. He was badly cast in the role of an auto theft cartel Kingpin. In my opinion he came across too young and too soft for the role. How would hardened career criminals listen to a soft boy like that? His character didn’t have enough balls and even when Ali was trying to act “hard” it was laughable and not convincing. This guy is not ready for challenging roles.

Pat Attah is back. Still stiff, still wooden, and still easy on the eye but with considerably less hair than when we last saw him.

Rita was the standout performance in this. The church scene in particular sticks out in my mind. You could see her being physically drained by the emotions that she was playing out in asking god to provide a crutch for her to carry her through her grief. She wailed, she cried, she made sobbing guttural noises and in doing so she made you believe that she was Issae the young mother shoes son had just been snatched away from her.
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I would recommend the movie. Overall it was a good watch. Watch if only for Rita’s performance which was excellent. The story was original and did not falter. There was a good message in it all and summed up by Rita’s character Issae at the end of the movie when she says, “everyone has a story,” which is to say that what is surface can be deceptive. People should be judged on an individual basis because despite what anyone has done you do not know the story behind it and indeed everyone has a story. The whole thing was just ruined a little by bad casting and some corny dialogue.

Friends In Love

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Friends in Love ~ 2009
Story, Screenplay and Direction – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Majid Michel – Chike
Tonto Dikeh – Debby
Uru Eke – Bella
Ejine Okoroafor – Bianca
Irenila Nneka Eze – Susan
Sylvan Ugwumadu – Receptionist
Jerry Okpar – Ismeal
Kingsley Godwin – Susan’s Boyfriend

Themes Explored:
Jealousy
Bitterness
Forgiveness
Love
Trust

My Rating – 43%

Having been recently proposed to by her boyfriend Chike, Debby is having doubts. She feels that the relationship has developed too quickly and that she does not know him well enough to accept the proposal. Anxious to make sure that she is making the right decision she enlists the help of a friend Bella to act as a honey trap. Bella is bitter having been hurt by men and is more than happy to assist Debby in her mission. She is convinced that she will catch Debby’s intended husband cheating on the first day and so is wholly surprised when she discovers that he is clean living and loyal. Almost disbelieving that such a man can exist she decides that he is too good to let another woman have. Debby calls Bella for an update with regards to the surveillance operation and is told,

“Your boyfriend is worst than a dog.”

She has decided that she wants him for herself and so the chase begins.

*************SPOILERS*************

Bella uses her cousin Bianca to set up Debby into thinking that Chike is cheating on her (or like Tonto says, “chiting.”) Her plan backfires and very soon he gets it into his head that Bianca is his soul mate and it is fate that keeps making them cross paths. Rather than fall for Bella he falls for Bianca and begins to use Bella as a sounding board, much to her frustration.
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The girl who introduces Bella and Debby is a useless actress. Tip: If you must have someone that useless, either out of pity, nepotism or free labour you should at least give them a role where they do not need to speak. On failing that you should not put them in the first few scenes because it can put people off.

I must mention Tonto’s face. It is getting lighter and brighter. She is now around Majid’s colour. She is no longer lightskinned she has transformed into bleachskinned glow in the dark. I could not stop staring in amazement, she also had in some light eye colour contact lenses and her eyes were looking itchy. She would not have looked out of place in a horror film. All I have to say to that is… take a look at Uche Uwuji and mind yaself. It is not a good look at all!

Acting wise I normally love Tonto’s performances. Here I must say I was not feeling her at all. It didn’t seem like she gave herself to the character. She was just reading lines and overdoing it at the same time. Uru Eke too, major disappointment. Majid Michel was just OK, nothing special. I have to blame it on the direction because I know all of them can and normally do, do better.
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The story in itself was not bad but the execution was terrible. There were too many unnecessary scenes. Cars driving, gates being opened and closed, watching Majid do fellowship and a friends house, Walking in the park, hugging (for a good 5 minutes WTF?) just nothingness with music over the top. It was never ending and booooring. Editing was rubbish. At the end of part 2 there is the static like a phone is going to ring… TWICE. Why didn’t they reshoot or edit it out? This is not the sort of quality I would expect from a Tchidi movie.

We get an epilogue at the end of part 1 saying, “It was later discovered that Bella was one behind the set up. She was disgraced and rejected by all her friends.” How can you have an epilogue when you have a part 2 that goes on to show the rest of the story. Tchidi did this in Beautiful Soul too. Part 2 was slightly more interesting but only by a small margin. There was a good build up of dramatic tension just before the confrontation between Bianca, Chike and Bella. I was wondering why Bella confessed, it seemed out of place because she did not appear to be truly sorry, neither did she have a next plan up her sleeve and they were not good friends so I wondered what the point of that was.
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I would not recommend this movie. When you counter in the fact that this is a Tchidi movie AND starring heavyweights like Majid and Uru Eke (Widow’s Men), it is even more sorrily disappointing how bad it is. Part one is 55 minutes and part 2 is 45 minutes, add into that a lot of filler and few years ago this would have been less than a one part film. The dialogue was basic and uninteresting and despite having a great cast the performances fell flat. Thumbs down!

Soul of a Maiden

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Soul of a Maiden ~ 2008
Story – Obi Madubuogwu, Bruce Iyke Okafor
Screenplay – Tai Emeka Obasi, Tchidi Chikere
Director – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Ini Edo – Olamma
Mercy Johnson – Nuria
Mike Ezuruonye – Prince Obieze
Laz Ekwueme – Igwe
Uche Ebere – Oyinne
Obi Madubuogwu – Emenike
Chigozie Okoli – Agaba
Mary Stella Okolie – Nin
Jenifer Danladi – Amaka
Ndidi Okafor – Ijeoma
Michael J Egene – Arinze
Tony Alor – Agu
David Ihesie – Ichie Igube
Alfred Nwaze – Ichie Okoro
Ikechukwu Jideofor – Igwe Amaegede

Themes Explored:
Osu Caste System
Tradition
Acculturation Vs Assimilation
Royalty

My Rating: 88%

Olamma is an outcast in Afan Asa village. She is taunted and marginalised and does not know why until she approaches her mother to find out the full story. It is then that she is told of the history surrounded her ancestry and in turn present situation. She is descended from a woman who was sacrificed to the oracle for a cow. She was a virgin on sacrifice and in life was never married. She did however, have many children, as a result of men besieging her at night. Such was the fate for an osu and for future generations. Olamma is horrified and is determined to break the cycle vowing to never let a man see her naked body much to her mother’s fear that such a vow will only invite the wrath of the Gods. Things look to change when a chance encounter brings her close to Obieze the Prince, heir to the throne of the kingdom, however when the king finds out about his son’s intention to marry Olamma he sets out to prevent such a union and will go to any length to do so.

*************SPOILERS*************

I loved this movie! It was a very simple yet very well told story about the Osu. It is a sad story about injustice and unfair treatment towards a people who have done nothing to deserve it, all as a result of “historical offences.” Not knowing very much about the Osu and their history I found this movie very informative. I loved the traditional setting, the garments and the music. The music was very appropriate at all times. It had a haunting sound to show the melancholy fate that the Osu are resigned to which later changes to more uptempo “happy” music to show joy and hope at around the time the Prince decides that he wants to marry Olamma.
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At one point the Prince attends a virgin dance where he is supposed to choose a bride. He chooses Nuria. It turns out that she is not a virgina and so the wedding is called off. He finds out that she is not a virgin when he goes to make love to her one night. After the deed he confronts her about not being a virgin and she tells him that she was raped to which he exclaims,

“You have obviously been at it more than once.” How would he know?

This particular scene has too much static and background noise and the dialogue was difficult to hear.. They should have reshot this one scene. The prince later goes to tell his father,

“I noticed everything in there was loose and filthy.” Haba! How would having sex with that random palace guard guy a few times make it so loose and filthy?

It is very ironic when he then says to his father,

“She should go far away to those kingdoms where they treat women like scum and serpents.” Is Olamma not being treated like scum under your very nose by the osu system which is being upheld in your kingdom?
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The question must be asked, can traditional beliefs co exist alongside Christianity? In one scene the Prince asks his father,

“I stand in front of the Virgin Mary which my mother put there as a symbol of our Christian belief before she diesd and yet you still uphold this barbaric culture… I mean forcing me to choose a wife from a dance.”

His father replies,

“Son, we have to walk a tightrope between living in the modern world and maintaining our culture.”

In this movie the caste system is renounced as a barbaric practice and one which is forfeited for modern world practice. We see this when the king declares all Osus in the village as freeborn, despite opposition within his camp. It is a great ending and shows that change can come about when people have passion for an issue and stand up for what they believe to be right as the Prince did with his father. It only takes one person in a position of power to talk up and make others see reason. On hearing that the king wants to declare all Osus freeborn and elder states in supports,

“Don’t we all breathe, cry, feel pain? Are they not human beings as we are?” Very true talk.

The ending is bittersweet. Although the osus are declared free the love between the Prince and Olamma is essentially the sacrificial lamb. She leaves the village. Although she loves the Prince she cannot marry him living in the knowledge that it was his father that killed her mother. It is sad to see that they are not going to be together but at the same time it is realistic. What woman is going to want to be with a man whose father went to the extent of killing her mother? It would be an everyday reminder, so in that sense I understand why the movie ended in the way that it did.
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I would recommend this movie. Ini is great as Olamma the oucast, Mercy is great as the village seductress and Mike is good as the Prince but even better when playing the old man role. An excellent make up job was done. Even though I recognised the voice as Mike’s, I looked at the face and it did not even register that it was him. When Mike is playing the old man begging for water because he is thirsty Nuria has no compassion and tells him, “Instead of walking to your grave you are here obstructing the stream path.” It is Olamma that takes pity and gives him water, telling the others, “Don’t you see this man needs help?” This goes to show us that people must be judged on the content of their character and not by how they are labelled by society. Such labels can never show us who a person really is. This one is a must watch!

Girls Collection

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Girls Collection ~ 2009
(Girls Connection ~ 2008)
Story – Abdul Salam Mumuni
Screenplay – Tchidi Chikere
Director – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Yvonne Nelson – Imelda
Vicky Zugah – Mabel
Beverly Afaglo – Doris
Nana Ama McBrown – Vanessa
Kofi Adjorlolo – Prince Daramola
Irene Opara – Madam Joy
Gavivina Tamakloe – Mr Frederick
Eddie Nartey – Casmir
William Opare – Silas
Roger Quartey – Frank
Eve Asare – Cutie
Elizera Ofori – Cleopatra
Ingrid E Alabi – Jennifer
Mumi E Botchey – Araba
Nii Saka Brown – Douglas
Diana Ghartey – Araba Maame
Simon P Tettevi – Bulus
Jackson K Adam – Thomas
Ish Thompson – Bala
Sandra Asare – Reception
Prince Osei – Dr Cliff
Tchidi Chikere – Ted
Omar De 1st – Bruce

Themes:
Prostitution
Poverty

My Rating – 72%

This movie tells the tale of different girl’s and their lives in prostitution. The girls live in a huge house with Madam Joy who “arranges” rich and influential men for them. We see the story surrounding each girl and how they fell into the game as well as the consequences suffered as a result of the lifestyle.

*************SPOILERS*************

Nigerian Director Tchidi Chikere

by Nnedi Okorafor – ModernGhana.com

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had some interesting conversations with award-winning Nollywood director Tchidi Chikere about science fiction (Nollywood is Nigeria’s oh-so-popular film industry. The term “Nollywood” is a play on “Hollywood”, much the same way as India’s “Bollywood”).

Chikere has written, produced, and directed over 50 films. He also published a collection of rather chilling short stories titled Strangers in Paradise. The collection includes a novella called “Daughter of the Cave,” which is essentially a fantasy piece. Chikere sought me out after my novel, Zahrah the Windseeker, piqued his interest. Needless to say, I was delighted and honored to hear from him.

During one of our conversations, we discussed my own work and whether it could be translated to film, particularly African film. “Is Africa ready for science fiction?” he asked me. We debated this for a while. Naturally, I believed Africa was ready…ready enough, at least. Notwithstanding my own contentions, Chikere had other ideas.

“I don t think we’re ready in the primary sense of the word,” Chikere said. “We can hide it in other categories like magic realism, allegory, etc, but we’re not ready for pure science fiction.”

“Science fiction films from the West are failures here. Even Star Wars!” he said. “The themes aren’t taken seriously. Science fiction will come here when it is relevant to the people of Africa. Right now, Africans are bothered about issues of bad leadership, the food crisis in East Africa, refugees in the Congo, militants here in Nigeria. Africans are bothered about food, roads, electricity, water wars, famine, etc, not spacecrafts and spaceships. Only stories that explore these everyday realities are considered relevant to us for now.”

Fighting For Nothing

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Fighting for Nothing ~ 2009
Story, Screenplay & Director – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Jim Iyke – Kodili
Kate Henshaw Nuttall – Dinah
Camilla Mberekpe – Carol (Mama Kodili)
Ify Afuba – June (Mama Ernie)
Somadina Adima – Uche
Ed Nnasor – Native Doctor
Kennedy Kalu – Elder John
Emmanuel Ibeh – Elder David
Valentine C Uka – Prophet

Themes:
Poverty
Family Feud
Depression
Guilt
Village Life
Spirits
Revenge
Resentment

My Rating – 71%

Ernie and Kodili are best friends and as close as brothers but their mothers hate each other and because of this show pure disdain for each other’s sons despite the love their son’s have for one another. It all began when Ernie’s mother married his father. Kodili’s mother claimed that Ernie’s mother had snatched her man and married him. She blames Ernie’s mother for her condition in life. She is resentful that she married a poor man and remained in the village in poverty, while Ernie’s mother, due to marrying a wealthy man had the benefit of an educated and well travelled son to shower her with gifts on his visits home. Their sons are grown and decades have passed but the feud between the two women continues and ultimately tears both families apart.

*************SPOILERS*************

The drama really starts when Kodili’s girlfriend Dinah approaches Ernie for money to buy a new hairdryer for her salon. The friendship’s close bond is thrown into disarray as a result of this single action. Kodili suspects that Dinah and Ernie are having an affair. Dinah was spotted outside Ernie’s house early one morning, and denies that she was there, only to admit it later on. Both Ernie and Dinah refuse to tell what she was doing there, not wanting to dent his pride, but this only causes the situation to escalate.

Kodili catches Ernie walking hand in hand with Dinah. They had actually met up to discuss telling him the truth about their original meeting. As they are walking they are exchanging praises with regards to Kodili and the love that he has for each of them and them for him in return. Kodili of course only sees them holding hands and flips out. This scene is hilarious. Dinah blurts out, “I went to collect money from him.” Kodili chases her, throwing a spade at her head.

Another very funny scene is the fight that the two mothers have at Ernie’s mother’s gate over Ernie’s mother’s supposed man snatching. Kodili’s mother berates her for her overuse of “grammar.” Camilla does a great job as a meddling mother. She makes up stories and puts ideas in her son’s head to turn him against Ernie. She goes as far as poisoning him to death.

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Guilt

After Ernie’s death things take a turn for the worst. Kodili is wracked with guilt that he is the cause of his former friend’s death. He takes his frustrations out on Dinah telling her that he will not marry her because he wants her to “suffer” in turn she tells him that she is going to leave him to, “go and look for someone who is interested in living.” She is not serious but wants to jolt him back into reality. This does not work and he only ends up taking life seriously again when she fakes a pregnancy.

It is not a happy ending because on finding out that Dinah lied about being pregnant Kodili is heartbroken. It does not matter that she actually does really becomes pregnant either as the trust is broken and even if he did believe she was pregnant he wouldn’t necessarily believe the baby was his anyway.

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I would recommend this movie. It was a nice simple setting village movie with a great cast and a good solid story that leaves us with lessons to be learnt. These are; never cry wolf because in your real time of need you may not be believed. The truth is always best because lies just escalate and get you into trouble and last but not least to not carry around emotional baggage for years on end because it will only consume you and leave you bitter and twisted.

Hope For Tomorrow

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Hope For Tomorrow ~ 2009
Story, Screenplay, Director – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Jim Iyke – Kay
Patience Ozokwor – Zelda Adams
Chinwe Owoh – Stella
Sana Kanu – Beatrice
Lanre Oluwale – Collins
Oluchi Ekeh – Nurse
Chuzy Hyman – Nurse 2
Ozioma Okere – Nurse 3
Ijeomah Azukah – Murphy
Prince. O. Mbanefo – Eddie

Themes:
Feminism
Mortality
Sacrifice
Loneliness

My Rating – 61%

In the opening scene we are the viewers of a conversation between two never been married, childless retired college professors. We learn a little about their past and what their hopes and fears are for the future. Despite having never married Zelda believes that even at 67 she can still find love. Zelda on the other hand has given up hope. She regrets not having had children and believes that a woman of a certain age does need people around to assist with certain things. In light of this she invites her sister’s son from the village to come and stay with her.

She enrols him in driving lessons and plans to get rid of her driver so that he can take over as driver. Her nephew Kay, on the other hand has aspirations of becoming a photographic model after a chance meeting with a photographer, Beatrice at a fast food restaurant. His Aunt Stella’s friend Zelda takes a shine to Kay and promises to help him realise his dream of becoming a model. She likes being around him as he makes her feel youthful and they become close friends, however this relationship is soon strained as his intention towards her is platonic and hers romantic.

*************SPOILERS*************

In the advertisements before the movie starts I am already hearing Tchidi’s tunes, so I brace myself for a full onslaught. I am pleasantly surprised. He has changed the song from the one in particular that I have been hearing in his last few movies. Surprise surprise! No ringtones highlighting his songs either.
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In the beginning Kay played Jim was portrayed as a shy and naive village boy. Even though his aunt enrolled him in driving lessons believing that he did not know how to drive, he has in fact been driving for the past 2 years in the village. Rather than seeing his character as complex, I saw it as undeveloped. He is supposed to be shy and doesn’t speak much on arrival at his aunt’s place but then at the same time appears angry and ungrateful. When he and Zelda are having their photo’s taken at the fast food place by the photographer the way he is rolling his eyes at her being in al the pictures seems out of place. It was important for his character to be defined and this task was failed, perhaps as a result of poor direction and characterisation.

Choosing Jim as the character of Kay was poor casting. Jim does not have modellesque features or height. Zelda tells Stella on one occasion,

“This boy is a natural born model!”

Hmm which part I wondered? Even the poses at his stint in a photographic studio were awful. They did not say “model” at all. Then we have the fact that Beatrice wants to sell her body to get Kay a modelling contract. That alone should have showed her he is useless as a model! Then to top it all off at the end of the movie Jim gets a multi million naira modelling contract… AS IF!!!

I loved Sana Kanu’s performance. This is the first time I have seen her in any movie, and for a newcomer she was excellent. She poured passion and conviction into her performance. It was a shame that she and Jim did not have any chemistry together. If they had, it could have been magical.
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Feminism
It is as though the film was trying to say that these women became spinsters as a result of feminism, as if a feminist cannot be so and also have a family. Zelda tells Kay,

“Men came and came but I scared them away with my feminist beliefs.”

Which beliefs is she talking about? This whole aspect is not explored in full. Is she a feminist because she had a career? Is it because she likes watching CNN on a nightly basis? Is it because she admires Benazir Bhutto and cared about her death? Why would any of those things mean that you cannot have a husband or children?
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Highlights for me
There were some hilarious moments in the movie. At one point Zelda and Stella get into a physical fight because Stella calls Zelda a pervert. Zelda then says to Stella,

“Why did you hit me? Have you forgotten I have chronic indigestion?” HUH? What has indigestion got to do with it?

There is a scene with Zelda and Kay where he is berating her for behaving and looking like and old woman. He tells her,

“This your wig. I hate it! If you are 80, it makes you look 100. If you love me please get rid of it. It’s causing me so much pain.”

This scene is so funny because you would really think that he is talking about something serious, but no he is talking about her wig!
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Overall I would say that this movie is worth watching. Patience excelled even though not playing the evil mama roles she is known for, and even thought she plays a predatory character there is the underlying vulnerability in the character added complexity. I would have rated it higher if not for the repetitiveness towards the end of the movie. Kay was going back and forth between the two women; Zelda was flashing her cash to get Kay back and Beatrice insisting on selling her body every two seconds for the supposed advancement of Kay’s new career. It was paced steadily and brought up real issues like mortality and loneliness. There was a good, small cast so small chance for any waka passes to come and ruin it.

Sense Of Touch

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Sense of Touch ~ 2009
Story, Screenplay & Direction – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Tonto Dikeh – Annabel
Van Vicker – Jim
Tchidi Chikere – Sam
Livinus Nnochiri – Dr Maurice
Tony Alor – Rufus
Jr Pope Odonwodo – Andrew
Prince Eke – Phillip
Kennedy Kalu – Obi
Mark Nwafor – Chike
Godwin Uyanwanne – Okon
Francis Onia – Obodo
Gospel Orji – DPO
Chinonso Ogbaka – Nurse
Johnson Durueke – Neighbour
David Aginwa – Cellmate

Themes:
City Life
Rebellion
Love

My Rating 50%

Annabel is labelled a “city gallivanting and unfocused daughter” by her father who has become perturbed by her late nights and scanty dress. Her father is so concerned that he goes as far as to confiscate her car keys and then hire thugs to harass her every time that she leaves the house to make her want to retreat to the sanctity of the house as opposed to the streets.

After Annabel finds out that it is her father that has hired the thugs that have been harassing her, after seeing them fraternising with one of the house staff at the front gate, father and daughter have a serious talk about Annabel’s future. She tells her father that rather than to become an economist as he had wanted for her, she in fact has a passion for singing and desires to become a worldwide singing phenomenon.

Annabel’s father is willing to do anything to make her happy and agrees to do everything within his power to help her realise her dream. Enter Jim played Van Vicker who is enlisted as a vocal couch to help Annabel become a singer before her 21^st birthday. 

*************SPOILERS*************

 The whole premise of this movie is stupid stupid stupid. Annabel’s father pays 2 million to one random boy (Jim) that  he meets outside a hospital to turn his daughter into a “singer.” Does he mean singer in that she can hold a tune? Or singer as in that she becomes a success? Why would you pay him that much?

There are plenty of people that sing amazingly in their showers and have never sold an album in their lives, and vice versa many that sound appalling that have sold many many records. The terms of the agreement should have been better laid out. If he did mean a success did he check Jim’s credentials? Since when has only vocals been the makings of a superstar. What about marketing and promotion? Artist development? Contacts? Dedication? Hard work?

The other thing to mention is that when Annabel’s dad met Jim, he was singing outside the hospital and actually sounded pretty atrocious. It would be unthinkable to me that someone would hear him and think to themselves, “Wow he sounds so amazing I’d like him to teach me/my daughter/ my aunt…” Nothing about his performance outside the hospital would make you think VOCAL TRAINER! He didn’t sound to bad back at the house, but then why would you pay someone with below average talent to develop your daughter into a singing superstar? It makes no sense!

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It turns out that Annabel didn’t really want to learn how to sing, it was just a ploy to get freedom from her dad. Van is not too happy to learn that she is not interested in singing and is dragged around town by her as a 3^rd wheel while she frolics with her boyfriend of the moment.

Tonto soon wants Van to become her boyfriend and tells him she will dump all her other guys. When he explains to her that he does not have feeling for her. She laughs and says,

“Who gives a flip about feelings… We will just do a pretence game?”

This did not make sense to me at all. Pretend to whom? She definitely couldn’t let her father know that she was trying to seduce the vocal coach. So for what or for whom was the pretence supposed to be in aid of? Is it a sex thing? And if so then why does she use the term boyfriend?

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From not wanting anything to do anything with Annabel, Jim soon becomes her boyfriend, and when their relationship is discovered by her father the drama really starts as Jim’s money is put into jeopardy. When Jim realises that Annabel has made him lose the money he beats her up. It only looks like a few slaps and a kick and she is in hospital on a drip. What is she on a drip for?  Why is he beating her up over the money? Before he met Annabel’s father he was managing so why wouldn’t he manage now that he is no longer employed as the vocal trainer?

After Annabel is released from hospital she runs away when her father tries to send her to Saudi Arabia. Her father goes to Jim’s house to look for her. Why would she be there? Didn’t the man just hospitalise her? Then to add to my confusion Jim calls Annabel to warn her that her father is looking for her. Since when were they on speaking terms? He just beat her! Plus he had just been put in jail for beating her.  He then goes to meet her but doesn’t want to listen to what she has to say. Why on earth does he go to meet her then? Sooooo many things don’t make sense!

Van’s character needs more development. In the beginning he couldn’t say boo to a ghost and the next minute he is having violent rages. He appears to be honest and found being deceitful to Annabel’s dad very hard and then the next minute he is the willing participant in a blackmailing scam. Tonto’s character too needed development; she seems intent in claiming money form her father despite the fact that neither she nor Jim really need it. It all seems rather pointless.

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I would not recommend this movie. Although it was watchable and there were some good scenes on the whole it was a poor story that was poorly executed. The two main characters were inadequately developed and too many loose ends were left open. Oh! and I must give a shout out to the pink dot. It is standing strong ready to ruin your viewing pleasure, however things are looking up as I saw a recent Tchidi movie and it was gone, nevertheless if you don’t wanna see the pink dot then you don’t wanna see this movie!

Paulicap and Perpetual

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Paulicap and Perpetual ~ 2008
Director – Tchidi Chikere
Story – Chinedu Collins Ezenwa
Screenplay – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Nkem Owoh – Paulicap
Mercy Johnson – Perpetual
Queen Nwokoye – Mabel
Jude Oteka – Pastor Midas
Collette Orji – Irene
Jacinta Ikelu – Juliet
Ejine Okoroafor – Rose Flower
Lynn Harrison – Pinky
Sylvia Oluchi – Beauty
Ebere Okonkwo – Grace
Edith Onovo – Olivia
Afuba Chukwudi – Chuka
Martin Njugbigbo – Kalu
Elvis Obi – Mr Jones
David Aginwa – Officer Jake
Junior Pope Obonwodo – Officer Nick
Harry Green – Mutiu
Chigozie Okolie – Ikoku
Kate Sam – Olivia
Amaka Bessie – Sarah
Sam Uche – Hotel worker
Gaddiel Onwudiwe – DPO

Themes Explored:
Infidelity
Aristo Culture
Charms

My Rating – 84%

Mabel is Paulicap’s down trodden and long suffering wife. She has been with him for 15 years and they share a son, but this is not enough to keep him from hitting on every pretty lady in town. His wife catches him at a hotel on different occasions emerging from rooms with a different lady each time. Things even escalate to the point where she engages into a physical altercation with one of his women. Things get even worse when she finds out that he propositioned her shop girl. She has been humiliated and disgraced by her husband, at the end of her tether she know longer knows what to do with herself. She spends her time crying, and praying about the situation, hoping that Paulicap will change.

*************SPOILERS*************

Paulicap on seeing his wife’s endless suffering as a result of his actions decides that it would be best for him to leave her so that she can live her life and find happiness. I thought it was an honourable thing to do for Paulicap to let Mabel go He leaves her the house and the supermarket they own, but Mabel is inconsolable ranting on about on about how much she has done for him. She is not happy with him, and he has told her he is not willing to change his ways but still she keeps trying to hang on to the relationship despite telling the pastor at one point,

“God did not create Paulicap and Mabel together that I will die without him.”
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Paulicap meets Perpetual on the roadside one day. She appears mysterious telling him to find her himself rather than giving him her number. The tactic works and Paulicap searches for her in the area he first saw her until one day they meet again on the roadside. Despite initially resisting Paulicap’s advances Perpetual is soon smitten with him. Despite him promising to remain true to Perpetual his philandering ways soon start up again. Perpetual takes matters into her own hands and embarks on a drastic course of action that backfires on her terribly.

I liked this film a lot. It was engaging and very funny in parts. The one thing I was disappointed in was the way it ended. I feel using the whole “charms” storyline is a cop out for when people don’t know what direction to take the movie in. Mabel tells Perpetual at the end of the movie,

“You will know the crime in hypnotising a man through sorcery.”

I believe such a scenario sends out the wrong message to women that whenever ya man cheats it is the fault of another woman and not the man himself. It absolves the man of all blame and places it onto a woman’s shoulders. The question must be asked, did you marry a woman or a man? Who made that commitment to you?

I was impressed with Queen Nwokoye. I usually find her a bit stiff and dull but she definitely exceeded my expectations. She effectively conveyed emotion and her dialogue flowed with none of her usual awkwardness, I think it may now be time for her to be taken off the list of DRIVE BY actresses. Nkem Owoh was his usual funny self. I would recommend the film and it has a strong warning message which is, “Be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it!”

Native Son

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Native Son

Direction, Story & Screenplay by Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Ini Edo – Toanchukwu
Mike Ezuruonye – Igwe
Tonto Dikeh – Nerissa
Ifeanyi Ikechukwu – Chijioke
Gaddiel Onwudiwe – Barth
Harriet Orisakwe – Nnemary
Isaac Otutu – King Igwe
Adaigbo Okafor – Portia
Chidi Chukwukere – Andrew
Uche Amaka – Kaycee
Godwin Uyanwanne – Ken
Sylvan Ugwumadu – Julia
Chidi Ezeh – Thompson

Themes:
Village Life
City Life
Education
Tradition

My Rating 90%

Nerissa is a sophisticated city girl, she comes to visit her father’s village and strikes up an unlikely friendship with a village boy Igwe. He is fascinated by the way she “paints” her face, smokes cigarettes and ability to quote Shakespeare. This is much to the annoyance of his possessive village girlfriend Toanchukwu. One day Toanchukwu catches Nerissa in Igwe’s mother’s hut and a fight between the two girls breaks out. Unfortunately a lantern catches fire and the hut is burnt to ashes. The elders dole out the punishment that Nerissa and Toanchukwu work together to rebuild the hut.

*************SPOILERS*************

Kudos for the character development here. All the characters were well developed and three dimensional. We see Nerrissa turn from what could be called a snob who’s mind is opened through her experience in the village. We also see Igwe turn from a village boy to a city dwelling man that owns his own company, and Toanchukwu…hmmm… well Tounchukwu who is filled with so much jealousy for Nerissa starts to see her as a human being once she sees the similarities between them after the old village perv frames them both. The change is gradual which adds to the realism.

Funny Bits:

“I like women with the colour of fire like you.”
The old perv to Nerissa in explaining why he wants to sleep with her and not Toanchukwu.

“She came to mate with me and my old bones by force.”
The old perv to the village women after Nerissa is screaming in the house after he comes onto her.

This movie warrants a definite thumbs up from me. It is funny from beginning to end. The whole cast made it work. I was impressed by the three main characters especially. Ini was fantabulous. She took it back to her World Apart Days. A million miles away from the chick who is always in movies whining her waist and licking her lips, no matter the role even when talking to her daddy (like in Slave to Lust). She did very well. The substitution of the L’s for R’s and R’s for L’s, the squint of the eye when she was defending Igwe, “My booooooooooooy.” She really shone.

Then we have Mike, this performance took me back to his houseboy Honey Desire performance. The naïveté, the vulnerability, the confusion, he portrayed all of those things effortlessly. Then we have Tonto, remember I said she was looking hella chunky in The Shepherd, well it looks like she has been working out because the body was toned and in top form and the performance matched. Tonto played the worldly and confident Nerrissa with ease. I liked that the ending was unpredictable and did not warrant a part 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

My one and only complaint about this movie would be THE PINK DOT. I almost thought it wasn’t going to appear and then at the end of part 2… BAM! I have mentioned it before and I’m mentioning it again. I have however seen on Miss Ti Li Li’s blog that this matter has now been rectified. I JUST HOPE SO!

Loosing You

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Loosing You
Story, Screenplay and Direction – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Van Vicker – Ernest
Tonto Dikeh – Theresa
Juliet Ibrahim – Rose
Ifeanyi Ikechukwu – Mark
Prince Eke – Justus
Jnr Pope Odonwodo – Martin
Linda Kurt – Augusta
Kpobo Ekwaraye – Katie

Themes Explored
Sickle Cell
Love
Hypocrisy

My Rating – 72%

Ernest and Theresa are madly in love, engaged and about to be married. During their engagement they find out that they both possess the AS genotype which means that if they have children there is the chance that they could be a sickler. They are told in no uncertain terms by Ernest’s father that they must stop seeing each other as the health of their future children is of greater importance than the love that they share.

If you were madly in love and about to get married would you give up your love because your kids MIGHT have sickle cell? That is unimaginable to me, but obviously these things do happen. Theresa and Ernest are treated as if they are murderers by their friends and family. The empathy is totally lacking as if it were solely a business arrangement they had been planning and not a couple in love planning a life long union.

After they are spoken to by Ernest’s father Theresa flees the house and they agree to separate. Both parties take it badly, turning to booze in a bid to numb the pain of the break-up. We see them both on separate occasions chatting up the opposite sex while drunk, the heartbreak so abundantly clear.

*************SPOILERS*************

Before the movie even starts we have Tchidi showcasing his music…What can I say? Movies is his thing (except actually starring in them) and he should stick to that as he does it well. As for the music… it was pretty bad but I guess it was catchy because as I type this I can remember the melody and some of the lyrics. Although that is probably because he also had his music as the ring tone for one of the characters in the movie, and as the backing tracks throughout.

In one of the songs he was wailing “hoooold meeeeeeeeee..” This was accompanied by one long ass scene between Ernest and Theresa crying, wailing and holding onto each other because they just found out they were both AS and couldn’t be together. They are both crying buckets of tears and in the beginning it is touching, but then it goes on and on and on. In fact it was a whole four long minutes of “hoooold meeeeeeeeee.” and wailing… Wow excruciating. Every time the camera shot would change I would prepare myself for the next scene but then it would be “ hoooold meeeeeeeeeeee!” Looking back its kinda funny but at the time it so was not.

Enough of Tchidi’s music. The story was kind of slow in the first half of part one but then started to pick up in the latter part and then again in part two the pace really quickened and it became more interesting with the introduction of Juliet and Justus. The picture and sound were fine and most of the cast gave good solid performances.

One scene that I just have to comment on is when Justus wants to surprise Theresa with some new things. He arranges for some thugs to accost her in front of her workplace and strip her of her bag, shoes and accessories… I mean what kind of surprise is this? I wouldn’t find it funny at all. The thugs then present her with a bag with new things in it, but they walk away taking her old things, including her phone with the sim card. What kind of nonsense is that really? Would she not want her old bag and shoes and phone? Then to top it off the plastic bag they present to her with the new things in is one manhandled, wrinkled old looking bag. As soon as she saw the new things Theresa was jumping for joy. She even went as far as to say,

“That is the craziest, most romantic thing I’ve ever seen.”

Wow it didn’t look romantic to me at all… Who even thought of that crap? Oh yeah Tchidi probably… Oh and let me mention this again… WHAT IS UP WITH THAT PINK DOT? YES it was there again! How many times will I have to say it? And yet again the common factor is Tchidi Chikere, so until advised otherwise I am blaming him.

Hypocrisy is one of the themes in this movie. Ernest is the hypocritical one. He knows that she is distraught about the break up yet he rings her to flaunt his new flame. I thought that that was very insensitive, and the nerve for him to expect her to be happy about it. Why would she be when she is hurting? Theresa on the other hand doesn’t go out of her way to tell Ernest anything about her new man yet when he sees them together in the car park of a restaurant he totally flips out and calls her to chastise her for going with him to the restaurant that they used to go to as a couple. He even turns up at her work place and tries to prevent her from going to lunch with Justus when he was the one to move on first. He later even has the nerve to turn up at her house and complain that he complained to rose and she refused, and expect her to comfort him. Ernest was entirely too much!

Overall the film was solidly good. After you got past the first half of part one it became more enjoyable, The standout performance was Tonto Dikeh (have I said that one before?) I am beginning to feel like a parrot but this girl really knows how to emote and you could see how the crying scenes really drained her. She really gave her all. She had chemistry with Van but I feel it was more on her side than his. His performance was slightly flat. Juliet Ibrahim was consistently ok but then lost it at the part where her character and Justus catch their prospective partners together. I don’t know what emotion she was trying to show but it just looked like she was practising emotions. It was a mess. More practise methinks. Tonto’s hair looked fab … in fact I thought it was real until she placed her palm at the top of her head to brush it. Nollywood really has come a long way from the SOCIETY LADY days where the women wore big blond wigs with the black naps showing underneath. This is progress ooo! I would recommend the film. Go and get it, unless you are fed up of the pink dot. If you can no longer take the pink dot then leave this one alone. LOL

Pains of Love

Originally uploaded by NollywoodForever

Pains of Love

Story – Ikenna Ezeugwu
Screenplay/ Director – Tchidi Chikere

Staring:
Fabian Adibe – Aaron
Franca Brown – Jemima
Chiege Alisigwe – Chinwedu
Emeka Ike – Fred
Ifeoma Anyiam – Amara
Chinwe Owoh – Grace
Cynthia Okereke – Adaego
Jude Oteka – Oliver

Themes Explored:
Polygamy
Step Families
Love

My Rating: 65%

After their mother dies Chinwedu and Oliver are left at the mercy of their father’s second wife who takes great joy in mistreating them. Chinwedu’s only solace is her boyfriend Fred who she regularly confides in.

On one occasion Chinwedu’s stepmother overhears her husband agreeing with Fred to marry Chinwedu. She is outraged that Chinwedu should be married before her daughter, less anyone think that he daughter inferior and so sets out to ruin Love’s young dream. She does this by sending her daughter to go and seduce Fred and so the drama begins.

I would recommend this, particularly if you are into village movies. Nothing out of the ordinary, nevertheless a nicely told village movie from Tchidi. The lesson that can be taken from this one is that Love conquers all!

Beautiful Soul
Story – Tchidi Chikere
Screenplay – Tchidi Chikere/ Genevieve Nnaji
Director – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Genevieve Nnaji – Olivia
Yul Edochie – Geoffrey
Tchidi Chikere – David
Ali Nuhu – Okon
Nana Ama Agyeman McBrown – Comfort
Livinus Nnochiri – Obi
Chiejina Ephraim – Samson
Lotachi Johnson Oloto – Barbie
Romeo. I. Romeo – Dr Thomas
Nike Anyado – Jonathan
Ndidi Okafor – Romina
Wulford Ajayi – Charles
Mary Umoh – Irene
Jennifer Ekwu – Nancy
Sara Yakuba – Prisca
Oma Olean – Bar Joe
Ilaya Precious Fejiro – Nurse
Victor Ede – Gateman

Themes:
Love
Unrequited Love
Altruism
Social Class
Greed

MY RATING – 78%

“Please sit down, you know that I hate it when you stand around looking like servants”

“But Madam, that’s what we are.”

The film opens with Olivia, the madam of the house presenting her four servants with a pay off check of 6 million naira. We learn that since her mother, who employed the servants died she has been alone with only the servants in the house.

We also learn that she has sickle cell anaemia and may be soon to die, hence the reason for the pay off to the house staff. Olivia claims to want to do “something else” with her life, not feeling fulfilled with her current state.

The servants accept the cheques and then approach her concerned, not knowing what to do with such an extraordinary amount of money. It is as if their positions had them resigned to a life of servitude. Olivia even tells them,

“Do you guys want to die as servants, don’t you aspire to do anything better with your lives.”

Olivia plans to go away to live a more simple “normal” life having being raised in a wealthy family. She asks her boyfriend Geoffrey to go along with her, and he agrees. She departs almost immediately, leaving the servants distressed and in tears. It is a touching moment and shows us that love and humanity amongst humans knows now social class.

Olivia is humble and does not treat people differently because of status or what they have. We see this again when she hails a taxi in the road to go and pick up Geoffrey to start their new life together. When she gets out of the taxi to go and get Geoffrey she leaves her luggage in the car. The driver David asks her if she would like to take her luggage with her to which she replies no. He then tells her,

“but people are not supposed to leave taxi drivers with their luggages.”

To which she simply states,

“that is my biggest fault. I’m too trusting.”

When Olivia goes to get Geoffrey she is told that he has “travelled” effectively abandoning her, leaving only a note. She is shaken and tells the taxi driver to take her “anywhere.” Meanwhile we find out that Geoffrey did not in fact go anywhere and was actually inside the house simply avoiding Olivia. His reasoning being that he did not want to “gamble with his future” by being with a “sick and dying girl.”

Olivia makes the journey alone and checks into a hotel before going to Lugbe settlement, a poor community a whole world away from what she is used to. She passes by a woman called Comfort’s house where she sees a notice requesting a governess for her daughter Barbie. She is interviewed on the spot and acquires the job despite her inexperience. Olivia, Comfort and Barbie connect on sight and so begins Olivia’s new life.

*************SPOILERS*************

WHY’s?

1) Why, midway through part one a pink blurry dot about the size of a fingertip appears on the bottom centre of the screen. It stays for about a minute and then reappears on and off throughout the rest of part one and part two. Does anyone watch these movies for errors before putting them out? It was clear to me it was a problem on the lens of ONE certain camera as only certain outside shots were affected.

2) Why when at David’s house was Barbie the little girl wearing some HIGH HEELS? That child couldn’t have been more than 8!

3) Why was there an epilogue at the end of part 1 telling the viewer what happened next when there was a part 2? That got me confused! We are told in the epilogue that Comfort found out that Olivia was in fact the benefactor, however when part 2 comes along Olivia arranges for Geoffrey’s friend Okon to pose as the benefactor so that epilogue was NONSENSICAL! I’m assuming it was going to be one part and then minds wee changed. Who knows? All I do know is that I found that very very messy.

4) (This is actually a how!) How many flippin plane crashes happen in Nigeria? We learn that Olivia’s mother died in a plane crash. I have lost count of the times I have seen this as a cause of death in Nollywood!

Overall I enjoyed the film. It was beautiful in its simplicity. We learn how one persons kindness and humility can touch a person for a lifetime, despite only being connected for a short time. Despite its flaws it was emotionally charged and almost moved me to tears on more than one occasion. Genevieve played her role beautifully, and the title was most definitely appropriate. I would have scored it higher if not for the epilogue shenanigan.

World Apart
Story – Sunny Collins
Screenplay & Director – Tchidi Chikere

Starring:
Laz Ekwueme – King Idoto
Liz Benson – Mirabel
Kenneth Okonkwo – Promise
Hila Dokubo – Rhoda
Bruno Iwuoha – Benedict
Gentle Jack – Jekwu
Ini Edo – Uli
Geraldine Ekeocha – Thelma
Charles Awurum – Godwin

Theme explored:
Class and Social Status

My Rating: 70%

Uli is warned by an elder in the village before she leaves for the city,

“The city girls dip their mouth in blood before they are going out… they call it lipstick”

I loved this imagery, not only was it vivid but it appealed to my humour too.

She is also warned by the same elder to never get, “talons like a witch” Uli is from a poor family in a village untouched by modernity. She is taken to a township (hey that’s what they called it in the film!) to become a housegirl for her uncle and his wife. It is her first time in the city.

We see Uli’s childlike amazement at all things technological. When a car goes past the house she hides behind the gateman because the sounds and speeds are unfamiliar to her. She is scared but at the same time in awe,

“It’s so beautiful!”

From becoming scared she becomes obsessed with the cars (In one day mind you!) This whole scenario seemed badly thought out in the sense that the filmmakers couldn’t decide whether she would be impressed by or frightened by the cars and so decided to make her both impressed and frightened which didn’t really make sense in my opinion.

Uli loves to watch the King’s procession of cars go by and positions herself every day to watch, she gleefully tells the gateman,

“Look how it shines like the sun! Me I like nice things o!”

We see the prince begin to take notice of Uli, he sees that she is there everyday watching the procession of cars go past. We also see how the Prince despite his royal background is a very humble man. On one occasion his driver lays out a red carpet for him to walk on from the house to the car and he refuses to walk on it, walking instead on the pavement beside the carpet. He also tells his driver off for calling Uli a stupid girl,

“You must stop calling people stupid. Are you better than that girl?”

Another day goes past and Uli waves at the Prince’s car excitedly as it goes past. On this day the Prince insists that the driver stops. Uli and the gateman see this and think that they are in trouble and so flee. The prince is stunned by this action, but because of their disappearance has no choice but to return back to his car.

The Prince, however has not forgotten Uli and returns to the house only to find the gateman and ask him as to Uli’s whereabouts. The gateman believes Uli to be in trouble for “waving her dirty hands” and begs for the prince to spare her as she is a “bush girl.” He runs in the house to tell Uli, “You are finished… he has come to arrest you.”

Of course that was not the reason that he came to the house. He came because he was intrigued at her apparent innocence and wanted to get to know her better.

*************SPOILERS*************

The Prince does get to know Uli and becomes very fond of her, which leads to a marriage proposal. The queen is outraged that her son has brought in a girl with no social standing, wealth or worldliness and demeans her at every possible chance. The prince transforms Uli in terms of housing, clothing and acquaintance with the finer things in life and after the transformation takes her to his mother The Queen. The queen is very impressed this girl, not knowing that it is “Uli the village girl” and makes her approval well known. It is when he has her approval that her son the Prince reveals who Uli is. The Queen is shocked into silence and ends up begging for forgiveness. In the end they are married and both families are accepting of the union.

Although this film was simply told and told a million times before it is still one that you will enjoy watching. This film teaches us that social status, clothing and money do not make a person. All these things are changeable. The prince was a man of great social standing and still was a humble and compassionate person. The gateman was a man lower on the social ladder, and had no compassion for those that shared his same background. It also shows us that what a person was yesterday is not necessarily what they will be tomorrow. They are good lessons to learn.