Merry Men becomes more outrageous with each installment, increasing the stakes to ridiculous heights and presenting far-fetched scenarios, like a low-budget Fast and Furious. The Guardian branded their Merry Men 2 review “low-budget Fast & Furious-style shenanigans,” a comparison that only becomes clearer in this instalment, where The Merry Men have evolved from being Robin Hood-style heroes to being caught in matters that affect national security. However, whereas the daring family of F&F is famed for their remarkable driving talents, there’s virtually nothing that the Merry Men are conspicuously good at. As the characters blunder about with little identity or…
Author: Ayodele Olawumi
Tamara Jola-Scott (Sandra Okunzuwa), daughter of rich Lagos socialite Jolayemi Scott (Patrick Doyle), is a spoiled rich kid who treats everyone (friends included) as if beneath her. The news of her father’s involvement in an embezzlement scheme and his impending arrest abruptly ends her wedding day preparations. All their properties are to be seized, her wedding is cancelled, her fiancé’s father (also her dad’s business partner) is not interested in a union with someone who steals from him and to cap it all her fiancé, Demola (Timini Egbuson), wants nothing to do with her. Official poster for Something Like Gold…
The murder mystery genre has not been a strong suit of Nollywood filmmakers. Most of them, especially the mainstream releases, are characterised by wishy-washy and overly straightforward plots. But A Weekend to Forget is a pleasant surprise, although it is not particularly exceptional. It comprises elements that make a film of this genre worth the watch – a captivating and thick plot, thrill and unexpected twists. Official poster for A Weekend to Forget. Seven friends go on a weekend getaway and what should be a weekend of fun turns awry when one of them is murdered. Anyway, what do you…
Human trafficking is one of the pervasive evils that has persisted throughout the history of mankind. It has been propagated using several methods, taking several forms as the times changed. History shows that slavery has always been a part of almost every society, from the beginning of civilization in Egypt to the transatlantic slave trade that displaced generations of people from Africa to the New World. Despite the measures that have been taken to battle slavery globally, human traffickers have found several creative means to perpetuate modern slavery, trafficking unfortunate individuals around the world to serve masters in subhumane conditions.…
Directed by Toka McBaror, Underbelly is a period film set in 1976, using the approaching FESTAC event as a backdrop. Ojo (Femi Adebayo) and Afang (Smart Conrad) journey from the Southern region of Nigeria to the North to work in a leather-making factory. The friends hope to make enough money to attend the Second World African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) taking place in Lagos at the beginning of the next year. Their arrival at the factory is not warmly welcomed by the locals and co-workers, especially with reckless Afang’s philandering escapades with other people’s wives. Also, they unknowingly…
Netflix is the international streaming platform with the most Nollywood movies, consisting of an impressive catalogue of post-theatrical licenses and original titles. Curating from an extensive list, these are some of the best Nigerian films available to stream on Netflix The Best Nigerian Films on Prime Video Netflix’s Next Big Move: Akin Omotoso and Ochre Media to Bring Literature to the Screen in Multiple-title Book Adaptation Partnership Kasala (2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LStdpAPFcw Kasala is a funny coming-of-age story directed by Ema Edosio Deelen. Youngster, Tunji and his buddies take his no-nonsense uncle’s car to a party. Things take a turn for the…
Zambia’s first Netflix feature film, by homegrown director Kenny Mumba, chooses to explore a poignant issue in Zambian society (and the African society at large, especially Southern and Eastern Africa): the negative stigma experienced by people living with albinism. Using the life of popular Zambian singer, John Chiti, as inspiration, the film, written by Lawrence R.J. Thompson, depicts the life of a boy living with albinism whose unwavering resilience helps him to defy all adversity in a society that would rather have nothing to do with him. Everything You Need to Know About ‘Can You See Us?’, First Zambian Film…
Lola (Yvonne Jegede) takes her two kids, inquisitive and adventurous Funke (Pamilerin Ayodeji) and smart and logical Habib (Mofiyinfoluwa Asenuga) to Ondo to spend the holidays with their grandmother (Ayo Mogaji) and also to give her some space to properly evaluate her career and relationship with their father. Funke and Habib quickly settle in as their adventure kicks off the very next day. Enthralled by a neighbour’s tales about the Igbo Irunmole, Funke is convinced about the existence of mythical beings while Habib vehemently rejects the notion. Their dispute is settled with the appearance of Mikolo, a colorful, hippogriff-looking creature.…
Last year, Femi Adebayo made a splash with the release of King of Thieves. The ripples of that theatrical success do not look to be fading soon. Since then, we have had Anikulapo, Elesin Oba, Orisa, and now Jagun Jagun (by the same team that made King of Thieves). The surprise trailer for the film created quite a buzz in July, with the biggest conversations around the amount of money that must have gone into the production of the project. Truly, this epic, starring several notable Yoruba actors, has been executed on a scale rarely seen on our screens. ‘Jagun…
Hotel Labamba is not unlike any other murder mystery. Usually, the plot is set rolling with acquainted characters arriving at a designated location, or just random characters happening to be in the same place at the same time. Then, a character dies, usually murdered, and a search for the murderer begins. In a year that Biodun Stephen can be tagged the most prolific director in Nollywood, she adds Hotel Labamba, a lacklustre murder mystery into her 2023 output. ‘Sista’ Review: Kehinde Bankole Delivers Impressive Performance in Compelling Tattle-Like Story About Single Motherhood Official poster for Hotel Labamba. Via Cinemax In…