Witness Gospel Movie Reviews

“OLASUPO” REVIEW

Olasupo marks the third entry in the Biopic genre engaged by drama ministers from the turn of this decade. It has great predecessors in The Train (2020) and Enoch (2023), thus giving it tough acts to follow. Nonetheless, the movie stays true to the things that make us love this genre – the (un)known stories of our modern-day heroes told in relatable ways, mainly showcasing their humble beginnings and the rough patch they all had before heeding to God’s call.

The 2024 biopic has a lengthy runtime as it tries to bring the audience up to speed with the life of its protagonist. And therein usually lies a major challenge of this genre – knowing just how much of the subject’s story to include in the motion picture. So far, The Train and Enoch leave early, focusing on the background of its subjects, with the assumption that the audience knows or can find out much of the rest online. Olasupo on the other hand feels the need to say so much more, which is probably why its ending wasn’t satisfying for me, bringing down the curtain at a point when a board of ministers was divisive on the choice of Supo as the president of the Nigerian Baptist Convention.

Another offshoot of this is the (late) casting of an older Supo and Toyin, which rather disrupted the flow garnered by what I consider the best part of the story – the relationship between Supo and Toyin as portrayed by Omooba Oluwasegun and Aanu Kolade-Abiodun. Their onscreen synergy was beautiful to watch as they both brought their A-games to their roles. I consider myself privileged to always watch Aanu Kolade-Abiodun who by God’s grace, has never put a foot wrong, no matter the role she’s given. She and her co-star accurately nailed the teaser scene for Olasupo, in spite of the numbing sound design that could have nullified their efforts.

It is always a blessing to be able to see the background of prominent personalities whom many people look up to. Supo’s story is another testament to the fact that nobody yields to God’s call over their lives and ends up on the losing side. And it is never really an easy decision, because on many occasions, the subject is already on a path that is physically successful. However, it is clear that God knows the good thoughts He has towards us, and only when we trust Him and cooperate with Him will He be able to bring them into fruition.

While there are quite a number of things I know would have made Olasupo a more befitting biopic, one that really hit me on a personal level is the subtitling. Putting it as mildly as possible, this kind of captioning is simply unacceptable at this level. I would urge the filmmakers involved in this project going forward, to pay more attention to better sound design, tighter plotting, unnecessary, and lengthy scenes, repeated estabs, and managed sequences. As it is said in writing, sometimes, less is more.

The link to the movie is https://youtu.be/paoRO2scL_8?si=yUxprEff0qOW__IV

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits
OLASUPO
(March 30, 2024)
130 minutes
Living Faith Films International and Ayanfe Proclaimers Christian Drama Production

Cast
Omooba Oluwasegun as Supo 2
Aanu Kolade-Abiodun as Toyin 2
Yomi Adewumi as Ayoade
Emmanuel Ajayi as Man in White

Crew
Director
Seun Adejumobi
Screenwriter
Ayo ‘Cineman’ Olaleye
Cinematographers
Korede Olayinka and Raphael Oluwaseyi
Editor
Abiola Babatola Nattytunez

“THE PROSTITUTE” REVIEW

If you ask me, I would say that the story of Hosea and Gomer is arguably the trickiest material in the Bible that a Christian screenwriter could base their script on. The last one I reviewed is In Love with A Prostitute (2021) and this one’s title is just as on the nose. Because of similar pitfalls in both movies, I’m almost challenged to take up writing a screenplay on this as well, determined to avoid banana skins in the Old Testament narrative.

This drama as played out in the Scriptures is an example of what is termed Applied Prophetic Drama, in which the dramatic situation affects the dramatist in a real-life way. The marriage between Hosea and Gomer was used by God as a symbol of His relationship with the people of Israel. Trying to replicate this literally under the New Covenant stands a risk of misleading completely, and as such, only those with adequate Scriptural knowledge would accurately get the message of The Prostitute. I believe that is what necessitated the expository epilogue (shot with ineffective chroma keying). Therefore, this movie should not be seen as an instructive material on how to make the choice of a life partner.

The protagonist, Steve, is engaged in several monologues in the course of the movie which have two sides to them. In the first half of The Prostitute, his thoughts all show that him seeking out a prostitute for marriage wasn’t inspired by God, thus a really bad idea. I believe that is why Steve refers to the “invisible force” pushing him in that odd direction; it would be heretical and counter-productive to the purpose of a Christian film to plainly claim it was God. The Father reaches out to the most ungodly people, but He would not ‘lead’ another into sin to get it done. In the latter stages of the movie, Steve’s thoughts tend to reflect a bit of the patience God has with us even when we fall into sin, so that we can return to Him.

In spite of the sharp bends in the story, I would say that the leads played their roles quite well. Technically speaking, The Prostitute only needed to have been half as long, for a more coherent, linear plot would have nullified the need for the many jumps in time the film had. The subtitles were substandard and I recommend that subsequent film projects would do better with a good production designer on board, to impact the overall production value.

I think the reason this Bible story keeps being visited is because of its prospect as a Christian love story, and when expertly written for the screen, will finally fulfil that potential.

The link to the movie is https://youtu.be/hOD2bJOR7QQ?si=s5_LljPUlfCKeLAF

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits

THE PROSTITUTE

(March 14, 2024)

118 minutes

Calvary Drama Ministry

Cast

Praise Ololade Agboola as Steve

Bamike Rebecca Are as Serena

Seun Adejumobi as Bobby

Crew

Director

Moses Korede Are

Writer

Moses Korede Are

Cinematographers

Moses Korede Are 2 and Oluwafemi Olabamiji

Editor

Oluwafemi Olabamiji

“JUST FOR THE STREET” REVIEW

Just for the Street has a nice opening that would settle any audience into a movie. Although this flow is disrupted right after with some choppy editing, the short film has bits and pieces of a cinematic atmosphere to it. The story centres on Taiwo and Kehinde, a set of twins from the same womb, studying the same course, but with different applications of it. The movie portrays, as Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, that you would serve either God or money. It remained to be seen which of these contrasting paths led to the desired destination for each twin.

Just for the Street has a number of musical pieces, which is one of the things that stands out in it. Its story is also befitting for a short film, and I commend the producer for probably resisting the temptation to bloat the runtime in a bid to make it reach the 40-minute feature movie benchmark. Regarding the music, I opine that fair depiction should have been given to both parties. Taiwo’s numbers are delightful and secular, while Kehinde’s are bland, though godly. Purely on a musical level, most audiences may have found themselves rooting for T-Class’ “Joy” and hit single “Confirm”, rather than the short, ordinary renditions of Kehinde.

Because this film has a story to tell, there are a number of issues naturally brought up in it. One is rather saddening – the way that some Christian organisations have treated gospel arts ministers, which has led to the latter being subsequently ‘forced’ to make certain demands before honouring invitations. We should not be doing this to ourselves; we really shouldn’t. Through Kehinde’s life however, we see that as long as we keep our faith in God, our call from the palace will come and we will not miss out on the good things of life in the long run. Taiwo on the other hand, gets both what he desires and what he does not bargain for. More than the music, it also shows the benefits of a godly lifestyle.

This movie shot entirely on a smartphone is a good watch and does well with its quality music production.

The link to the movie is https://youtu.be/uH2QjhgItaw?si=POgGuKoH_7TCjgq3

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits
JUST FOR THE STREET
(January 8, 2024)
36 minutes
Rising Star Drama Group

Cast
Samuel Obembe as Taiwo
Rachael Tolulope Israel as Kehinde
‘Nido Bisola Ajo as Iya Ibeji

Crew
Director
Faith Babs
Writer
Faith Babs
Cinematographer
Akindele Boluwatife
Editor
Faith Babs

“THE CRUISE” REVIEW

I am a huge fan of the short films written by Damilola Mike-Bamiloye in the 2010s, with A Minute More and A Hundred Thousand my personal favourites. Considering the fact that many brilliant features have since been the order of the day, it came to me as a surprise that The Cruise is a short. It was reminiscent of 2018 releases Killing Death and Late Work, which featured the two talented brothers, Damilola and Joshua Mike-Bamiloye, with Elvon Jarrett and Gloria Bamiloye joining them as parents here. The foursome make up a fictional family where, let’s just say, the children are not each other’s keepers.

Multiple grand sceneries within limited settings are captured to make the movie visually appealing. The images are stunning especially when viewed in high resolution. The first scene, though long, was used to establish the nature of the relationships within the family. That duration was remarkably cushioned through the use of humour.

With a few allusions to the Biblical story of Cain and Abel, The Cruise examines rivalry between siblings, and Luke’s and Nath’s incessant trade of words is an eyesore; how heartbroken parents who experience this must be! These sort of matters are best resolved with the wisdom of God, and actually, just spending time with God first before other people tends to break the ice, which paves the way for the desired restoration.

The link to the movie is https://youtu.be/5zWzUUS7g2Y?si=8JSWHcnQJhjoOPG8

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits
THE CRUISE
(March 10, 2024)
37 minutes
Mount Zion Film Productions and TKP Drama & Film Ministry

Cast
Elvon Jarrett as Frederick
Gloria Bamiloye as Rose
Damilola Mike-Bamiloye as Luke
Joshua Mike-Bamiloye as Nathaniel

Crew
Director
Mike Bamiloye
Writer
Damilola Mike-Bamiloye
Cinematographers
Damilola Mike-Bamiloye and Joshua Mike-Bamiloye
Editor
Victor Otegbade

“A MILE FOR TEN” REVIEW

Impact Global Ministries have come a long way from their first production I saw – Winds of My Will (2022). There has since been a steady line of improvement in the production value. Their latest entry, A Mile for Ten, is a good film for teenagers and youths. Personally, I wish production outfits would always give a heads up before release regarding the form of their films – a short, feature or series. This one is a short that centres on an Igbo family experiencing tough times financially.

Ada is the protagonist here and was remarkably portrayed by Layomi Adebayo. Furthermore, it was a delight to see drama ministers from both the East and West of Nigeria speak the Igbo language convincingly in my opinion. With a smooth-talking friend like Allison, played by Tomisin Esan, Ada begins to engage in deceit, like a physical child and spiritual baby would, innocently and maybe foolishly, trying to broker a deal with the devil. She thinks she can pitch her tent on the edge of a cliff with no risk of falling off. While some may have escaped in one piece, she unfortunately does not get off the hook.

I believe many can relate with the scenario painted in A Mile for Ten – it may be a struggle to make ends meet, but God knows how to settle His own if they stay true to Him. Ada leans on her wisdom and it gets her just that far. She has some level of warning but refuses to heed. And this should serve as one for us the audience too; we would only be better for trusting God and not worse.

The link to the movie is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvp2pRtkzDA

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits

A MILE FOR TEN

(January 28, 2024)

37 minutes

Impact Global Ministries

Cast

Layomi Adebayo as Ada

Chioma Chukwulotam as Uloma

Tomisin Esan as Allison

Obi Pius as Ada’s father

Crew

Director

Damilola Fasesan

Writer

Olayinka Akande

Cinematographer

Sesan Afolayan

Editor

Adisa Tijani

“THE DEFENDER (OLUGBEJA)” REVIEW

Away from the predominant Nigerian Christian film settings, Olugbeja takes us on a journey into the South-South/East region of the country. Also uncommon is its direction into the theme of widowhood, exemplified by Just One Thing (2023) being virtually the only gospel movie on it last year. For me, films like these buttress my opinion that there are countless original stories that are yet to be told through the lenses of the gospel, as against a gravitation towards endless sequels, even when only bare bones of the original story remain.

The movie narrows in on Bimpe, who is subjected to a traditional system in which she is disadvantaged before she is even able to mount any reasonable defence for herself. This is embodied in Bernard, brilliantly played by Ayobami Adegboyega, making a switch from innocent-looking sponsor to formidable villain. I have always admired his acting range: whether as saintly in the Husband and Wife Series or as devilish in Broken Cross (2017), he always puts in credible performances.

Olugbeja highlights that beyond tribalism, Bimpe’s plight is a cultural attitude to women that makes them culpable for their husbands’ deaths. Best efforts in such a repressive system usually prove abortive, until one meets the Warrior who has never lost a battle. And the great thing about the Defender is that like the robust resolution here, He obtains victory in beautiful ways no human could have orchestrated. Personally, I think this is a call for us to draw near to God as many of us navigate the stormy waters of a presently depressed economic system. He is our only hope.

The link to the movie is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXY0Qw9IgGA

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits

OLUGBEJA

(February 1, 2024)

93 minutes

Victory Drama Group

Cast

Peace Adewole as Bimpe

Ayobami Adegboyega as Bernard

Rotimi Amodu as Elder

Olufemi Olusina as Godwin

Feyi Adepoju as Mrs Usman

Crew

Director

Olufemi Olusina

Writer

Yemi Adepoju

Cinematographer

Sesan Afolayan

Editor

Seyi Fadiji

“STRANDED 2” REVIEW

With an open-ended Stranded, a sequel has come as no surprise. Moving on, new characters are thrown into mix, particularly Sharon an interesting one, and Raymond, well played by Dimeji Oladele. For a sizable period, Stranded 2 feels more their story, but aptly subtitled The Spider’s Web, the writer spins a labyrinth of events that connects the dots.

Unforgiveness is still evident here, but degenerates into more negativity in the home. Jenny and David, and Sharon and Raymond are as emotive as pendulums, fickle in their arcs when the other makes a move the one does not anticipate. Their exhausting back and forth shows that their transformations cannot be trusted just yet, until the bone of contention is thoroughly addressed.

I felt that certain lengthy scenes in Stranded could have been managed better, and in Stranded 2, the coverage of characters walking adds to that need for more compactness. The fact that there might be a third partshows how issues can linger in the home when offences are not quickly dealt with and let go of. The movie instructs that the best thing is to let God fight our battles for us; children of God should have it no other way.

The link to the movie is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX9S8jA32iQ

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits

STRANDED 2: The Spider’s Web

(February 25, 2024)

83 minutes

Mount Zion Film Productions and TKP Drama & Film Ministry

Cast

Tokunbo Jarrett as Jenny

Taiwo Adeniyi as David

Mike Bamiloye as Baba

Kehinde Afe as Roselyn

Oluwatomisin Oluwole as Sharon

Dimeji Oladele as Raymond

Crew

Director

Elvon Jarrett

Writer

Tunde Badru

Cinematographer

Damilola Mike-Bamiloye

Editor

Samuel Obikoya

Composer

Joshua Mike-Bamiloye

“PERFECT GENTLEMAN” REVIEW

What a movie this is! I smile anytime I remember Perfect Gentleman because it is just such a good time. I don’t think any other gospel movie has got me laughing like it…ever! And I’m not even sure it set out to be in the Comedy genre. However, the earnestness with which all its characters delivered their lines and acted out the script makes it down-to-earth and downright funny. It is a light-hearted drama that stands miles apart from every other production I’ve seen from GACEM Films. This is an early candidate for my annual Top 10 Gospel Movies list.

I love the story concept, and sometimes, the dialogues are so sincere that I wonder if they were all scripted. Nonetheless, the screenplay must have provided the film with a solid foundation, and I commend the director for this final product. It is just a pity that the screenwriter is not named; I would urge producers to always ensure that no crew member is left out of the credits.

The acting in Perfect Gentleman is just brilliant. There is genuine chemistry between the main and supporting cast, and they all seemed to be at their optimal best. Gbenga Ayoola delivers the serious and comical aspects of his Tola (Silva?) character remarkably, while the banters between Damilare Adedeji’s Sanya and John Oguntuase’s Jacob are loud and hilarious. Ajoke delivers her lines with impressive ease, while Chioma and Mope are laudable foils for Toluwani Ibitoye Fatola’s Eunice, always setting the platform for social commentary.

The cinematography in Perfect Gentleman was commendable. Furthermore, the selected background tunes were very nice, though a singular use alongside onset music repelled. Sound effects that are commonplace (and often misplaced) in (previous) GACEM movies found a home here, though they were eventually overused too. The movie merits its lengthy duration because there’s hardly a dull moment in it.

At its core, Perfect Gentleman is a love story, and highlights the importance of God’s will in marriage and individuals’ roles in actualizing it. Only because this is a key area of the movie would I now point out that their story could have done with a bit more cohesion. In the early stages, Tola and Eunice seemed to be courting, but later, it appeared Tola had only proposed, with Eunice yet to give a response. The movie oscillates between these two standpoints, and that undermines its theme of waiting on the Lord a bit, as well as the logicality of Tola’s quest to becoming the perfect gentleman. Similarly, the accident event and the second birthday were not credible or even necessary in my opinion, thereby making the closing stages rather untidy.

In conclusion, I recommend Perfect Gentleman for your viewing pleasure and blessedness.

The link to the movie is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXZbW8gozlA

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits

PERFECT GENTLEMAN

(February 14, 2024)

120 minutes

GACEM Films

Cast

Gbenga Ayoola as Tola

Toluwani Ibitoye Fatola as Eunice

Damilare Adedeji as Sanya

John Oguntuase as Jacob

Opeyemi Abiodun as Mope

Bukunmi Samson as Chioma

Crew

Director

Adeniyi Famewo

Screenwriter

–

Cinematographers

Damilare Adegoke and Tobi Awodele

Editor

Idowu Ayinde

“INFERNO” REVIEW

2024 may still be in its early months, but we’ve already had a fair number of movies with good stories. Inferno is one such film, and it is refreshing that gradually, more attention is being given to the solid foundation of a good screenplay. Here, Seye Femi-Akintunde crafted one that just lives its own life, not tethered to an excessive consciousness of an audience watching. Through the dialogue and actions of its characters, it builds a story world that we do not fully understand at first, but one that the audience can follow as it unravels, despite its elements of mystery.

Inferno introduces us to the major players early on – Evelyn, Femi, their mothers, and members of the Sect of Honour. From the outset, there is talk of a certain prophecy nearing fulfillment, thereby giving the conflict a constant sense of danger looming. Consequently, each character flows downstream to achieve one thing – getting Evelyn on board. Interestingly though, she proves one too many for them all.

Lara Ayoola delivers a performance that is as irrepressible as her Evelyn character who lives up to everyone’s description of her. Within herself though, she knows she is not all-sufficient. Tobi Olumyiwa is the second protagonist in Inferno, and he produces an assured performance in consonance with his Dare character. Through him, we see the benefits of a good pastoral authority structure – every child of God needs that true church membership and not merely attendance. Furthermore, every other actor is spot-on in their presentations.

A merit of Inferno is its conscientious writing which results in sound biblical doctrine. Similarly, every seeming gap in the plot was eventually accounted for. The dialogue was good, though a few expositions were a tad long. Also, the subtitles on several occasions appeared on screen way before they were spoken, which is against standard subtitle practice. Contrastively, the sound design had a composure and intentionality uncommon to many gospel film productions. It therefore later came as no surprise when this was credited to music and SFX guru, Joshua Mike-Bamiloye.

Inferno puts on display, in a balanced proportion, the manipulations of the kingdom of darkness, and the power of God in the lives of His children. At a point, Evelyn moots that she just wants to live a normal life; this film accurately shows that Jesus is the only source of a ‘normal life’, and that life is an abundant lifestyle of victory over the world, spiritual sensitivity and divine covering.

Summarily, Inferno is a quite a remarkable piece founded on good screenwriting, so much that even what seems like a cameo scene is meaningful and powerful. I lay emphasis on the writing because as basic as this should be for all Christian movies, it has not been the obtainable thus far. I do hope earnestly that gospel films step up in this regard much sooner than later.

The link to the movie is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7SROXkWFjQ

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits

INFERNO

(February 3, 2024)

108 minutes

Faithlift Productions

Cast

Lara Ayoola as Evelyn

Jide Ogunmilade as Femi

Tobi Olumuyiwa as Dare

Olajumoke Akande as Dolapo Oti

Adeoye Omoniyi as Dele Oti

Isaac Femi-Akintunde as Pastor Israel

Crew

Director

Adeoye Omoniyi

Writer

Johnson F. Odesola

Screenplay

Seye Femi-Akintunde

Cinematographer

Sesan Afolayan

Editor

Abiola Babatola Nattytunez

Music

Joshua Mike-Bamiloye

“EWU (DANGER ZONE)” REVIEW

It is always gratifying to watch a production that understands its identity as a movie, and prioritises storytelling. Ewu adopts a leisurely pace in building and establishing its characters, recognising that the audience would ‘naturally’ grasp the film’s theme. I find this approach advantageous because that way, there is no limit to the lessons that the viewers would learn. This is as opposed to productions that are overly zealous to convey a message, resulting in what I’ve recently coined ‘Christian drama video recordings,’ which transform us from viewers to congregants.

The motion picture narrates the story of Dare, who emerges from humble beginnings but, seduced by the allure of wealth in a materialistic society, embarks on a path that yields more than he bargained for. Abiodun Ogundipe credibly portrays the hapless protagonist, while Seun Obafunsho as Richard serves as a perfect foil, embodying the cool dude persona. Even cameo appearances, such as Seyi Pedro-Adetola’s Mama Ajadi, are notably well-performed.

Ewu effectively portrays the scourge of internet fraud and its unfortunate consequences on victims. It is disheartening to witness the joy some derive from causing unwarranted sorrow to others. More repulsive is the spiritual insensitivity that allows certain men of God to accord respect to such unscrupulous individuals. The film equally depicts the transitory nature of ill-gotten wealth and the deplorable fate awaiting those who choose that path in life.

One observation in Ewu, aligning with the world today, is the escalation of despicable actions committed by those in covenant with the devil. It seems like darkness is thickening on this side of eternity. I believe it is a call for those who claim to have the light of Christ to shine brighter, as the Scriptures declare, so that they will never be overcome by evil.

Despite the movie’s strengths, I believe it deserved a more distinctive title than the generic Ewu. The ending could have been tidier, and the subtitles more standardised. Additionally, some interspersed scenes suffered from choppy editing. Nevertheless, I consider the film a worthwhile watch.

The link to the movie is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6F3f4mS_8o

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits

EWU (DANGER ZONE)

(February 14, 2024)

106 minutes

Hope in Christ Film Productions and Ogongo TV

Cast

Abiodun Ogundipe as Dare

Seun Obafunsho as Richard

Adeyemo Samuel as Baba Dare

Bamike Are as Princess

Adeyemi Adepeter Adekunle as Leye

Crew

Director

Adeoye Omoniyi

Writer

Sunday Jokotoye

Cinematographers

Oluwaseyifunmi Awoleye and Ogunniran Inioluwa

Editor

Oluwaseun Obafunsho (Kamari)