Silent Scandal

I very rarely recommend Nigerian movies but I feel quite confident recommending this one. Starring Genevieve Nnaji, Majid Michel and Ebele Osaro, this is a contemporary tale revolving around Jessica Obi, a successful and uptight entrepreneur, her self destructive daughter and the man who brings love, perspective and a whole load of drama to their lives.

The movie is the brain child of a newcomer to the Nollywood production, a woman by the name of Vivian Ejike. I am looking forward to more of what she has to offer. No, she is no Cameron or Scorcese but that is because she is only beginning. It was an enjoyable and engaging film, the technical hitches can be overlooked for the story and for the wardrobe choices...

Happy Holidays

It has been one roller coaster of a year and for one, my blogs have received some of the most neglectful (if that is a word) treatment possible...but still, they remain for me an outlet for my musings, frustrations and experimental conversations.

I wish you a wonderful holiday and hope that I can keep my new year's resolution to reinvent my blog(s)....

Smooches

Thirst

Every so often, I see a movie that completely revolutionalises the way I see cinema. I have discovered Korean director Park Chan Wook, whose latest movie, Thirst is a thrilling look into the world of forbidden desire through the eyes of a priest turned Vampire.

The movie stars Song Kang Ho, an Asian cinematic heavy weight and casting favourite of Wook's paired pitted against the captivating newcomer, Kim Ok Bin whose performance had me mesmerised, tantalised and scandalised all at once.

A must see and for me, a must have on DVD

The stoning of Soraya M

The location was a remote village in 1980s Iran, where a French Iranian reporter's vehicle breaks down on his way to the border. While waiting for it to be fixed, he is approached by a Zahrah, a woman with a secret to share and whom the entire village intimates to him is unstable. Her story which takes him back over the preceding months and culminating in a most horrendous finale only the night before exposes corruption, religious manipulation and abuse of women's human rights in the country.

Starring Shoreh Agdashloo, Jim Caviezel and a graceful, Mozhan Marno, The Stoning of Soraya M is a chilling look at the treatment of women in areas where the justice system is based on a patriachal religious doctrine. What makes it more horrifying to comprehend is the fact that these practices are still being carried out today, with very little indication that there will be a change in sight. If you come from any country where Sharia laws are practiced in any form, The Stoning of Soraya M is an eye opener into the many ways that its laws can be manipulated to prey on women and those who have no rights under the law.

Not to be misconstrued as an attack on Islam or its practices, the movie starts slow, yet ends with a heartbreaking finish. This movie is a must see, for everyone, everywhere because this could very well happen where you live.

Catwalq Grade: A-

This is My Africa

In less than an hour, This is My Africa, a 2008 documentary presentation serves up a light-hearted, interesting an attempt at an introduction to the continent, her people and many cultures. The first part of an intended trilogy offers insightful commentary from a diverse selection of Africans based in the UK as they share what it is that Africa means to them.

Filmmaker, Zina Saro-Wiwa was present at a recent screening for the film at the Busboys & Poets restaurant in DC and shared her experiences with putting the project together and her intended plans for the distribution of the project. AfricaLab, the producing partners for the film intend for the project to serve as a portal through which Africans can connect with the rest of the world and vice versa. This is an attempt to celebrate Africa's identity on a global platform and the documentary was a commendable attempt though it did not go indepth into alot of the facets of African identity. Being that This is My Africa, is part of a trilogy, it can be hoped that future projects will cater to these missing aspects.


Visit, the website for more information and producer contacts to get involved with the future development of the project.

Nnena Okore's first exhibit in Nigeria

What's on TV...Old, New and stuff I just discovered...haphazard records

ON CABLE
HBO
(My fave premium channel of all time)
I have been off cable for a while and so have not had the chance to catch up on my fave shows.
1. IN TREATMENT, Season 2 should be premiering this sunday.

2. No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is up and running: I have not seen any episodes yet and I am nursing a small beef over this project. As much as I love Jill Scott, are you trying to tell me that HBO could not find an African actress for the lead? Haba! Mnet managed to put on Tinsel and it is amazing. There's also Jacob's Cross on The Africa Channel; both with Africans in the lead. ....I keep my retorts for later....

SHOWTIME
I have near OD'd on the content on this channel.

1. United States of Tara: Multiple personality disorder has never been so sexy, funny and hauntingly sad. This show follows Tara and her family made dysfunctional by the fact that she suffers from the disorder which causes her to adopt personalities as a coping mechanism for stress and tragedy. A must see....

2. Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Season II just ended and you can catch re runs ON Demand. A must see, if you love erotica and first person, voice over narratives.

3. Tudor: Three words....Jonathan Rhys Meyers. C'es Finit. This man had me at Bend it like Beckham and has refused to release me from my throes of love.

4. The L Word: Show's final season wrapped, Jenny dead and Catwalq glad cos I had begun to seriously despise that character. I wonder what she is really like in real life.

Coming...
Nurse Jackie: can't wait

REGULAR TV/BASIC CABLE

NBC:
1.ER is coming to an end. That show has been running for fifteen seasons....can you imagine if Checkmate had run for fifteen years? Do you know how many more careers would have been launched and how many more better Nigerian actors and actresses we would have? The closest thing we have to a long running series is Super Story but that is a themed mini-series.
Here's a big thank you to the late Micheal Crichton for bringing the inner workings of a city's trauma center to our living rooms. The irony is that the technology at this fictional hospital while not so spectacularly advanced would put our best hospital in the country to shame...so sad...

2.Lipstick Jungle
When it was airing current episodes, I could not be bothered. I wrote it off as a spin off of Sex and the City--which I hated--and an attempt by a network to capitalise on a mission slot in programming. Then I lost my TV and had to rely on the internet for news and entertainment. Now, I am so hooked, stalking the site to see if and when the new season has arrived. I am so hooked, I have changed my opinion on New York and removed it from my "Hell-No List of Places to live" and started applying to jobs there in the hopes that I too can be like the glamorous trio of Nico, Wendy and Victory. Only for me to find out that the show has been cancelled. Sometimes, I don't know what these network executives are thinking...
The show follows the lives and loves of three best high powered executive best friends managing their lives against the backdrop of New York...definitely joining Footballers Wives in my DVD collection

ABC:
1. Castle: A bestselling author looking to revamp his writing style teams up with a femal detective. When I saw the previews, I was ready to barf. Now, all I want to do is move into Rick Castle's luxury condominium with him, his hilarious mother and eerily mature daughter...loving it.

2. Scrubs: There is this new addition to the cast and all I will say is "Let the stalking begin!!!!"

3. Better of Ted: Veridian Dynamics, a global corporation specialising in manufacturing products...it is funny and somehow creepy cos I am sure there is some company just like that...

4. Grey's Anatomy: Same old, same old.


FOX
1. House: I love me some Greg.

2. Lie to me: Suprisingly enjoyable scientific fare on human lie detectors.

3. Bones: Did not like the show previously but caught up on past episodes and now, I am hooked.

4. Fringe: This show is possibly one of the most interesting shows I have seen in a loong time. It is thrilling and a bit scary and the production design is amazing. Special effects are off the hook.

5. Dollhouse: Kind of ok show...has some weak spots but everyone is so pretty. You can watch the show just for the wardrobe and production design alone.

CBS
1. CSI: Errrr....still there

2. CSI NY: My new addiction

3. CSI Miami: off my list. the show is now bordering on ridiculous

4. Criminal Minds: Saw a creepy episode recently...oddly enough, there are no episodes online...bah. And neither are Without a Trace or Cold Case...

USA NETWORK.

1. LEVERAGE! LEVERAGE!! LEVERAGE!!!: Nuff said

2. Trust me: Let's just say, I sent out a whole batch of applications to advertising firms because of this show...no one's called though...yet...sob

3. Starter Wife: Thought it was stupid but Debra Messing is much better here than on Will and Grace.

THE CW NETWORK
1. Should I be ashamed to say that I secretly watch Gossip Girl?

To be continued.....

Coming Soon....

www.cinemarketplace.com

Ghajini

picture from here

Ghajini, starring Aamir Khan, is about a man who suffers from anterograde amnesia (short term memory loss) after a violent attack which resulted in the death of his beloved fiancee. He then sets out on a violent quest for revenge on those responsible; a group headed by the evil Ghajini. The trouble is that, he can only remember as far back as the last 15 mins. Armed with polaroids, a pen and camera, he forges ahead with the result being three hours of blood and gore woven artfully into a love story. The movie also stars new comer Asin Thottumkal as the leading female and main love interest with amazing supporting roles by Jiah Khan, Riyaz Khan, Tinnu Annand and Pradeep Rawat as the title character, Ghajini

Should you see it: Absolutely. The story line is well told. The acting is amazing. You will have to sit through six songs but with a soundtrack from A R Rahman, the music is delightful.

However: There is alot of violence and the fact that it is rated PG 13 in the United States should not fool you. It is not suitable for children or anyone under the age of 16. It is also all of the traditional three hours of a typical Bollywood production. It is also a remake of a version done in Tamil that so many critics are saying is much better but as I have neither seen that nor the American movie, Momento, that it supposedly mirrored after, I have to say that I very much loved this one. I did not mind the length because there was not a dull moment through out even though my thirty six year old aunt and I periodically grabbed for each other during the violent scenes.

I could also have done away with some of the wardrobe choices for Aamir but since I love him to bits, I endure and invite you to go see it

Grade: A-

A new year and a new set of projects

I am going set up a schedule for each month for projects that I will either be undertaking or reviewing.
This month I will review:
Aminata
Player Number #10
Waste Collectors
The Curious case of Benjamin Button....

A secret project in the works that should be as cool as 14th and Serenity....

Welcome to 2009 and here's to all the fun we are going to have...at least I am