Nollywood Film Club has a reputation as a “hating club.” Many assume this group of cinephiles never truly enjoys anything from Nollywood or that they unfairly expect too much from the industry. But the truth is, they often love things, sometimes wholeheartedly. Occasionally, a film is widely well-received by most of the speakers, and even when a film is just average, it gets lauded for the few things it does well. The discussion format is typically broken into four parts: the good, the bad (“they do it well doesn’t mean it’s their passion,” as Mrs. C quips), pushback, and summary.
So, for this month, we’re spotlighting the positives that earned praise and agreement across the three July sessions, which covered films as mixed as Wingonia Ikpi’s The Lost Days, Kemi Adetiba’s To Kill a Monkey, and the widely acclaimed Zikoko Life anthology.
Performances across all three projects were consistently praised, which isn’t surprising because Nollywood has rarely lacked in the acting department. In The Lost Days, viewers enjoyed watching Ifeoma Fafunwa, Bimbo Manuel, Baaj Adebule, and Durotimi Okutagidi. The chemistry between Fafunwa and Manuel was particularly highlighted, while the brotherly bond between Adebule and Okutagidi was appreciated. Okutagidi’s characterisation also stood out.
The film’s central premise—a second-chance love story—was welcomed, especially given how rare mature or adult romances are in Nollywood. And as always in Nollywood Film Club, a film that ventures beyond Lagos earns extra points. The Lost Days was shot in Abeokuta, a location that the group repeatedly expressed fondness for.
In To Kill a Monkey, the acting was again a highlight. Performances by leads William Benson and Bucci Franklin, along with supporting roles from Sunshine Roseman and Lillian Afegbai, received praise. And of course, when it comes to crime films, the group reaffirmed: Kemi is their mummy. She reasserted her command of the genre after King of Boys, and that respect still holds strong despite the flaws of the 8-episode series.
Then came Zikoko Life. All four directors—Victor Daniel, Olamide Adio, Dika Ofoma, and Uzoamaka Power—were commended for their visual storytelling and cohesive filmmaking. Each short film in the anthology was praised for how well the direction tied together with acting, writing, and overall production. Performances were strong across the board, and the thematic tensions felt organic.
The series also gave us diverse portrayals of modern Nigerian masculinity, with various types of leading men who were confident in different ways. Zikoko Life was hailed for presenting modern Nigeria in both an authentic and universally relatable way, “the kind of project to market Nollywood globally,” as one speaker noted. Uzoamaka Power was especially celebrated for her triple threat performance in My Body as actor, writer, and director.
Ultimately, what stood out about Zikoko Life was the clear and compelling overall vision, a rare feat that made the entire project resonate deeply and genuinely with the group.
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