Witness Gospel Movie Reviews

ABEJOYE SEASON 4 EPISODE 4 (SEASON FINALE) REVIEW

Abejoye Season 4 is a tale of redemption, reconciliation and revival that captures the heart of the Lord in wanting all men to come to the knowledge and experience of His saving grace.

Abejoye Season 4 Episode 4 talks a bit about Chief Henry Awonponire, who is the last man standing among the Council of African Traditionalists. His attitude is worthy of note and there is a pertinent comparison to be made between him and Asipa. Chief Henry meets with a higher power and does all to change his ways, to make peace, even though it meant wrongly regarding that higher power as Dr Edmond. Asipa on the other hand, is unrepentant and is as sly as a snake. He subtly misguides people through his words, he lies and tries to draw others into his conspiracies and misdeeds so that he’ll have someone to pour the blame on if things get out of hand. He does evil under the cover of night and behind a veil. Asipa is an example of those that don’t want you to do the work God wants you to do, so they fight you. He’s definitely not someone that you want to have as a close friend.

We also see a bit more of Bamidele in what I would regard as a tough case that only sensitivity to the Holy Spirit can resolve. The traditionalists had attacked his father and succeeded in killing him; only God’s mercy brought Baba back to life. Then, they tried their hands on his only daughter but failed woefully, and Bamidele was well aware of these two attacks. Thus, I think his anger towards them was quite natural, and his fierce stance was probably just a reflection of his godly hatred for evil. However, the fact also is that he just didn’t listen at all to Chief Henry, which was wrong. It is a similar situation to what happened in Shackles 2: Fetters of Iron, and Chief Henry, like Prophetess Nbanise, nonetheless goes ahead and gets reconciled with God. This might not always be the case as we saw in On Strike, where Omoola returns to his old ways after Deacon and Mrs Salako defer his request to be led to the Lord. So, in these cases, we see the importance of patience and a listening ear. Sometimes, the harvest comes to our doorsteps; we must really be sensitive at that time not to drive it away.

*Our beloved Pastor of the Abejoye series*

Pastor Lanre comes to the rescue again with his maturity and patience. I like the way he displays his initial logicality in kindly requesting the conversation to be made at a later, convenient time, and his eventual sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, which enables him to give Chief Awoponire a message that birthed faith in Chief Henry’s heart and led him to the feet of the Master.

My favourite line in this episode, I think, illustrates what it means when no weapon fashioned against you prospers: “It (The ring) has killed my friends and spared my foes”. How God defends His children!

I must commend the creative use of lighting throughout this season – really cool stuff. Also, the visual effect used to portray Baba’s transition from his vision to real life really created that charged-up atmosphere that then burst into a scene with an outlook that felt surreal – really nice. I found Baba’s scene with Jogunomi quite amusing, especially the look on Baba’s face – very nice. I really hope that the subtitling of subsequent movies this year will be much improved.

At the end of this season, those who accepted Jesus began to tell people about Him; that’s how it should be. Baba illustrates that scripture that God does not delight in the death of a sinner, but instead, desires that all men be saved; that is God’s will for everyone, but we have to play our parts as labourers in His vineyard by testifying to people of what God has done for us and telling them to join us on the train to heaven…

Alright, we’ve come to the end of my 4-part review of Abejoye Season 4. What lessons did you learn from this season? What scenes stayed with you the most? Please, let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

You can watch the movie below:

Click below to watch the video of this review:

Till the next article, stay blessed.

“ABEJOYE SEASON 4 EPISODE 3” REVIEW

The Defender told Baba Abejoye early in Season 3 not to be angry at anyone, not to fight with anyone, not to be unforgiving and to be fervent in prayers. Surely, these instructions are relevant to us too?

Hey there, folks! You’re welcome to the penultimate part of my reviews for Abejoye Season 4.

So, I was excited that the scene from the preview of this episode shown last week involving Oganwo came so early in Episode 3. After watching Oganwo’s attack again, I thought the Lord would rain fire and brimstone, but what followed brought tears to my eyes – that sight of Baba on the floor telling KKY to calm down was beautiful. This brought to my purview once again that this gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of peace and love. I half-expected that I would make shouts of victory after a fierce battle that would display the Almighty’s power, but instead, though the victory was still won, it was achieved through the Holy Spirit’s fruits of patience and humility, sincere forgiveness and release from the heart. This victory gave me an understanding I didn’t have before of the armour of God.

Baba Abejoye was armed with the Sword of the Spirit, the word of instruction that God had given him in Season 3. It wasn’t just the knowledge of that word but the application of it that influenced his reaction to Oganwo’s misdeed; Baba had learnt from his experience with Oluwo Afopina and co. It’s an amazing thing when people expect you to respond to situations as your old self but instead, you do as Jesus would. Olayiotan did the righteous thing by not repaying evil for evil and it was this peaceful disposition that won his enemies over. A scripture this situation illustrates is Proverbs 16:7 which says that when a man’s ways please the Lord, God makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

A symbol of the change that Baba has undergone is for me the contrast between the opening song of Season 2 which literally spells Abejoye’s name and praises him, and this season, which rather, eulogises God the Almighty.

There’s quite a bit of enlightening exposition in this episode. Baba has done what the Great Commission commands us to do – he’s made a disciple of Kinkin-yinun, who herself is willing. When KKY wonders about mistakes on her walk of faith, Baba makes it known that, like Proverbs 24:16 says, though a righteous man falls seven times, he will rise up, but the wicked stumble in the time of disaster and collapse.

In this episode, Abejoye gets two new disciples, and both are won over because of his new lifestyle. Right from Season 2, there has been the mention of the old or former Olayiotan and the new one, and that’s how it should be; in time, there should be recognizable changes. Sometimes, it’s more of our actions than our words that let people know Whom we carry. The Bible says in Galatians 2:20 that our old selves have been crucified with Christ and so, it is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us. Abejoye is virtually unrecognizable because it is the Lord Jesus Whom his old acquaintances don’t know that is now living as the Prince of Peace through him. This is what Oganwo and Kabiyesi see that brings them to the Lord’s side. I’d like to talk a bit about the happenings at the palace here.

The council of chiefs, as well as the Council of African traditionalists, does a lot of talking, analyzing Baba’s every move but they can’t seem to figure it out his Source. Asipa in particular, played very well by Adefila Edward, seems to have an unrepentant heart and is very influential with his opinions. His false notions are believed by Kabiyesi for a while but the king eventually thinks through and sees that beyond reasonable doubt, Abejoye is a changed man. This brings about one of my favourite scenes in this episode which reminded me the narrative of Saul and the Witch of Endor, as well as the story of Jesus and Nicodemus.

I see something deep about the King because in his dialogue, he lets us know things are not running smoothly in Ajibogun; he says that the land needs peace and that rituals had been carried out to no avail. For me, it’s like he wants his people to thrive and has now seen that he does not have the power to accomplish it. Maybe he sees his need for what Abejoye has more because he is a leader; I think this is what all leaders in every sector need to realize too – that it’s Jesus they need, and it’s God they need to trust, in order to govern successfully. King Solomon asked God for the wisdom to rule God’s people and God gave him, along with wealth, riches and honour he didn’t ask for. Like Solomon, Kabiyesi also seeks wisdom but he is getting something infinitely better; he’s gotten Jesus who is Himself the wisdom of God, and Jesus has assured us that if we seek His kingdom first, all other things will be added to us.

Alright, we’ve come to the end of this review. The season finale comes up next Sunday, January 10, 2021 on Damilola Mike-Bamiloye channel on YouTube. I must commend the remarkable promptness in the release of each episode for the past three weeks. God bless the Mount Zion Faith Ministries and Flaming Sword Ministries International for this. My review for it will be out on Monday, January 11, 2021, at 8pm GMT; so, watch out for it.

Till the next article, stay blessed.

You can watch the movie below:

“ABEJOYE SEASON 4 EPISODE 2” REVIEW

You’re welcome to the second part of my reviews for Abejoye Season 4, the last article on this blog in 2020. We thank God for His preservation, protection and presence. I pray that year 2021 will mark greatness for us all in Jesus name.

I’d like to commend the recap of previous episodes in this Season. I remember feeling that the one for Shackles 2 didn’t really capture all the key points in Part One, neither was it really artistically done, but throughout Abattoir Season 1, and now for Abejoye Season 4, it’s much, much better, especially the technique of having dialogues off screen while other scenes are being shown. Likewise, the title display for Season 4 is epic in my opinion. The fire theme dominated the opening credits and the title reveal was welcomed by a lightning strike and thunder, with the Season’s subtitle coming soon after, streaking with sparks of the lightning.

It’s really interesting to watch the gradual changes in this story as it goes on. I didn’t think much of the Council of African Traditionalists after Season 3 but this season shows us how they are gradually disintegrating, slowly tearing one another apart, despite the fact that Olayiotan probably isn’t even thinking about them. I see Dr Edmond as an archetype of an evil man – smiles to you on the outside but really devious and unscrupulous on the inside. In any case, like the Scriptures say in 2 Chronicles 20:23, they helped to destroy one another.

I must commend the translation done for the dialogue; they accurately captured what was being said. However, it is quite important that these subtitles are gone over after the initial translation has been done; that’s the essence of proofreading – to ensure that the spellings, grammar and expression are in line with the rules of the target language.

So, after the huffing and puffing of Kinkin-yinun, she blows, but Baba Abejoye remains unshaken, and then she really starts getting scared. Baba soaks her into his detailed and innovative storytelling, creating a bit of humor along the line. Kinkin-yinun accepts Jesus into her life in a moment of despair, but something else graces our screens as we witness her baptism with the Holy Ghost. That was a great moment on TV for me.

It was good to now see Bamidele being more authoritative in Christ, taking his place as the head and priest of his home. Diwura’s parents fretted for her but nothing by any means hurt her, and I pray that nothing shall by any means hurt us either in Jesus name.

A truth that I’ve learnt from Kinkin-yinun’s life is that no matter how bad or messed up a life is, Jesus always brings newness; he restores our souls. No one should ever look down on themselves and think that they’re too far gone. Now, we’ve got three evangelists in Ajibogun and it turns out that Kinkin-yinun is a good storyteller like Baba. Gradually, Ajibogun is being won for Christ. The Obaojebolo family members with diabolical powers – Oluoje and KKY – have already come to the Lord’s side. It’s left to be seen the difference we all can make in our immediate environments.

Like Oganwo says in Episode 1, he is hell-bent on harming Baba Abejoye and he has chosen to do it physically this time. A preview of Episode 3 shows that he does hit Abejoye and Baba falls…What happens next? We’ll get to know when Episode 3 comes out on Jan 3, 2021 on DMB YouTube channel. My review for it will be posted a week from now, January 6, 2020.

I thank you all for being here with me through 2020; I wish you all a prosperous new year ahead.

Till 2021, stay blessed.

Click below to watch the movie:

TOP 10 GOSPEL MOVIES IN 2020

You’re welcome to the final Fantalk article of 2020 where I’ll be letting you know my top 10 gospel movies in this year 2020; I apologize for not posting this article yesterday as intended. Before I go ahead, I need to make it clear that this is not to say those on this list are not good; quite the opposite. It was a pretty difficult list to come up with; I had to peruse the list repeatedly to ensure it was a “fair” reflection of my perception of the message and art of film making in these movies. In fact, I’ve realized that there’s no gospel movie that doesn’t have a good message to offer, irrespective of the quality of presentation. Also, this list is from the movies I’ve seen, which is not all, but quite a lot; actually, some movies were even released up until Christmas Day, like Homeless and Checkmate, which I wasn’t really able to consider before drafting this list. So, let’s just enjoy this countdown as we go through these wonderful movies released on YouTube in 2020.

10. WELCOME YESTERDAY

This movie has a catchy title which is also relevant to its content. The message in it is clear, which is that only in Christ can we say goodbye to negative lifestyles, curses and their consequences. Similarly, Jesus is the one that can change the vilest of offenders, like the hymn “To God be the Glory” says. The unique thing about Welcome Yesterday for me is that it belongs to the Crime/Mystery genre, but still preaches the gospel. A minor theme in this film which can also be found in some other films on this list shows the need for children of God to pray against being accused of crimes not committed.

9. KNOTTED

“Knotted” is a suspense-filled jigsaw puzzle of a movie that will keep you glued to your seat from the beginning to the end. It’s a good story with a twist, something I’ve come to know with Victor Olukoju movies; I love the way he writes stories. One thing I learnt from “Knotted” is that prayer changes the narrative of depression. It also shows the importance of seeking God’s face for a “correct” life partner.

8. SHACKLES 2

This movie ticked all the right boxes in what a sequel should be. It built on its Part 1 brilliantly in combining the familiar with the new, but it was made better with the twist to the story. The way it brings prominence to the new characters as well as taking us deeper into Prophetess Nbanise’s life to make a third part probable is exciting for me. As in the Part 1, all waiting couples are encouraged to trust in the Lord and I use this opportunity to pray that this time next year, all will have celebrations of fruitfulness in Jesus name. One encouraging movie to watch in this line is the Husband and Wives series “Waiters”. I’ll leave the link to it at the end of this article. The special effects were also well done, especially the appearing and disappearing; very well done.

7. MARY’S OPTION

This adaptation of the popular Bible story about Jesus, Martha, Mary and Lazarus was creatively and meaningfully applied. The cinematography by Kunle Adepoju was really nice, the picture quality was great and the acting by Kayode Owojori, Omolara Ayoola and Ayobami Abraham was commendable. The film addresses the core of our beings and makes us see that Jesus is the reason for our living. Many of us ask the question: “God, what would you have me do?” but “Mary’s Option” shows us that more than doing, or before the doing, God wants fellowship with us; He wants a restoration to that Genesis relationship where we’ll experience peace and rest. He wants you and me to sit at His feet, to be with Him, to know Him better, love Him more and become more like Him.

6. 12:45

So, so many things about 12:45 thrill me. The trailer – great, the poster picture – attractive, the title – catchy, the story – powerful, the cinematography – wonderful, the acting – graceful, and the music – melodious. 12:45 was quite a prototype for the complete package. The wisdom it offers for male ministers especially, should never be taken for granted. The importance of sincerity with one’s spouse cannot be overemphasized. I didn’t say this in my review of it but there was an implication that Fred and Sharon had been missing a bit of intimacy in their marriage; these things should not be overlooked, so that we would have the best in our homes and ministries. 12:45 is an enjoyable watching experience.

5. THE PRIME SUSPECT

I salute this movie for the mere endeavour of it. A whole lot of work went into this, right up to its release this year. I tell you, this mini-movie series had the potential for even much more; it was fantastic story writing by Sola Adeaga. It’s an example of an engaging gospel series. I recommend it strongly for your viewing pleasure and blessedness.

4. ONE STREET ONE SOUND

A bold attempt, OSOS is. Really great story; just when you thought it was done with it’s major theme, another comes up, and takes this movie up a notch. A powerful movie on both levels. The opening sequence comprised really good sound and establishment shots. Colourful, aesthetic stuff. I feel this movie correctly represents the struggles of many in this present world but does well to also provide and reference truths, examples and materials that would lead to deliverance. God bless Adeola Jerry Oluwagbemi for this movie.

3. ON STRIKE

This movie touched me so much; it was really well crafted. The car-chase scene, the different subplots and the grand plot and the way they all came together really hit it. Every aspect of this production was well done and the truth it shares should enable us accurately understand our service to God. This is a really, really powerful movie and it was topped up by a really good soundtrack.

2. ABATTOIR SEASON 1

Abattoir brought something really special to our screens on Sunday afternoons while it was on. We looked forward to each episode week after week. Great ministrations all round by the actors, cool cinematography. I can’t say enough about Season 1 of Abattoir. We wait in anticipation for the Season 2.

1. THE TRAIN

Sincerely, I was a little torn between Abattoir Season 1 and my eventual number one because they’re both special in their own ways, but I think overall, this one is just really amazing. My top movie in this year is The Train. It was such a blessing; I think that the biographical element of it, the fact that we can see Daddy Mike today, with all the phases he’s been in life, is what distinguishes it the most. I’ll be talking more on this in a Fantalk edition next year by God’s grace. You’ll enjoy watching The Train and surely be blessed by it.

Alright, so, we’ve come to the end of this top movies list. God bless all drama ministers all over the world for their labour in God’s vineyard. May the Lord continue to strengthen them for greater exploits in Jesus name, There were many other great movies this year but these are my top 10. Which are your favourites? Which ones did you like that are not on this list? Please let me know in the comments section. I’ve put the links to every movie mentioned here after the article.

My next article will be the review of Abejoye Season 4 Episode 2.

Till then, stay blessed. Happy New Year in advance!

You can watch the video of this article below :

Links to the movies:

MARY’S OPTION https://youtu.be/Spk6LaghiCY
ABATTOIR SEASON 1 https://youtu.be/1wP5nyzzlcE (Episode 1. Other episodes on DMB YouTube channel)
12:45 https://youtu.be/egXtAwSlTK8
THE TRAIN https://youtu.be/5mFvb62VMkc
OSOS https://youtu.be/yIn1huI7g84
THE PRIME SUSPECT https://youtu.be/vY19QK2bExc
WELCOME YESTERDAY https://youtu.be/_eY3_gipPyM
SHACKLES 2 https://youtu.be/T-cFbuHNTxE
ON STRIKE https://youtu.be/DJ508kts1Bw
KNOTTED https://youtu.be/bnBoaNUlpXc

Husband and Wives series “Waiters”
https://youtu.be/KCw9VxJG-30 (Episode 1. Other episodes on the same channel)

TOP 8 GOSPEL MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS IN 2020

Merry Christmas to all gospel movie fans all over the world! May the joy of the season be ours forever in Jesus name. You’re welcome to this special end-of-the-year Fantalk series where I’ll be letting you know my Top 8 Gospel movie soundtracks in 2020. Yeah, I planned for a Top 5 initially but I found eight that I really like. My major consideration for this list is the way the songs are creatively used in their respective movies, as well as how melodious they are. Another thing to note is that since no titles were provided for some of these songs in the closing credits of their movies, I’ll be giving them mine. This is something I’ll address in a later article in the new year, by God’s grace. So, let the countdown begin.

8. Reverse Fall – Reverse Fall

This song performed by Psalmuela introduces and ends the webseries from The Winlos with the same title. The meaning of the song is best gotten in context of the movie and it gives the episodes a cool vibe that makes you feel what you’re about to watch would be interesting.

7. Agbara po – Kembe Isonu Season 2

After all the display of power in the movie, this song comes in at the end credits. It’s special because the musical style used for it is mainly for English songs, so, to see the filmmakers adopt it for the Yoruba language was quite nice.

6. New Dawn – Abattoir

“New Dawn” is the opening tune for the Abattoir episodes. I think it’s the way it introduces this very special series that makes it memorable for us. Whenever you remember the Abattoir episodes, I think that’s the song the song you’ll start humming.

5. O My Child – Shackles 2

I fell in love with this song in the first part in Shackles. In its sequel, it’s once again played at the closing credits and my favourite part is actually from the bridge till the end.

4. I will Love – My Mother-in-Law

I remember watching how this movie began and wondering the reason for the series method of introducing characters but when I heard the chorus of “I will Love” come in as the title popped up on the screen, I knew that I would love the movie. It was also put to good effect in the closing scenes during which we witness the turnaround for Tife and Lola.

3. On Strike – On Strike

This song is so special because when the strands of the story come together, it comes in and drives home the message of the movie, as it’s quite personal and emotional.

2. Ere Ise – One Street One Sound

This song was really technically used in OSOS as its instrumental was stylishly put in the background while a dying man joined in with the lyrics; that was a very emotional and profound point in the movie. Afterwards, it was professionally taken at the end credits. It’s a really powerful song whose subject matter every Christian should pray about.

1. Oruko Jesu – The Train

My number one gospel movie soundtrack for 2020 is, I’ll give you a clue: it’s from The Train. Can you guess which it is? Well, let me give you another clue. It was first sung in Agbara Nla (1994) and then resung by Jay-Mikee. I’m sure you know it by now. My top movie soundtrack for 2020 is Oruko Jesu, the acoustic version. If you’re talking about the application of this song in the film, it’s was used in two meaningful places. First, in one of my favourite scenes and shots this year: where Brother Mike and Sister Gloria got married. Second is the place where the Mount Zion Faith Ministries were told to continue with their drama ministration. I actually found the full track of YouTube and it’s a short one, so you can’t easily get enough of it.

So, those are my top gospel movie soundtracks for this year. Watch out for Abejoye Season 4 Episode 2 on Sunday, December 27, 2020 on DMB YouTube channel, as well as my article on the Top 10 Gospel Movies in 2020 later the same day on this blog.

Till that article, stay blessed.

You can watch the video of this article below :

ABEJOYE SEASON 4 EPISODE 1 – Movie Review

Abejoye Season 4 Episode 1 is eye-opening to the effect that we get a profound understanding of what it means for God the Almighty to be our Defender.

What’s up, gospel movie fans out there? Compliments of the season! You’re welcome to the first part of my reviews for Abejoye Season 4.

This collaboration between Flaming Sword Ministries International and the Mount Zion Film Productions has produced a very smooth storytelling season after season. The standout new character for me is Kinkin-yinun who is seamlessly introduced into this season after she had made a brief appearance in Season 3. She is played by Bunmi Bamitale who gives a high-octane, incantation-heavy performance all through. She expresses confidence and fear in the same energetic way. She delivers her lines powerfully; she huffs and puffs for several minutes, which shows how charged up she needs to be for battle. To be sincere, I wondered what made her so confident and I thought that maybe she would be able to hurt Baba in one way or another, but, we know the God of Abejoye, we know our God, don’t we? The Almighty has a track record of success and defeats all His foes.

Over the seasons of Abejoye, there has been a stylish introduction of Baba but this one is my favourite; how so? A lot of talk about him had already gone ahead – most people were in dread of him, many had said false things about him because they didn’t understand how things were working well for him. I think that’s what it means for God to send His terror ahead of you and to throw everyone who comes against you into confusion. Abejoye didn’t wish them evil but they all wanted him out of their lives. That meant that Baba didn’t show up in this movie until the 20^th minute, reciting Psalm 23, and then, he turned and looked towards the camera.

There are two highlights of Season 4 Episode 1 for me; the first is the look on Baba’s face as Kinkin-yinun chanted away at her incantations. I just couldn’t stop laughing with each shot of it. The second is the meeting between Oluoje and Abejoye, the new brothers in Christ. Remember that while it seemed that Abejoye would definitely be the one to evangelise Ajibogun, things took an unexpected turn when he disobeyed God’s instructions, and it was Oluoje who found Jesus and began that work. By God’s mercy, Abejoye was restored and now, Ajibogun has two evangelists. Alone, each of them is a force but together, they’ll make a movement. One amazing thing is that Olayiotan didn’t even know half of the battles God had fought for him, so he didn’t understand the rejection of his kinsmen. That’s for us to realise that we don’t even know how much of God’s protection and defence we enjoy on a daily basis; we don’t know the many answers to our prayers He’s given. So, it’s very important that we do not ever become ungrateful; we need to thank God for what He’s done that we know, what He’s done that we do not know, and that which He would still do for us.

This episode got me praying at intervals and that’s why I said it’s eye-opening. We need to be confident that no machinations of the enemy against us, no weapon fashioned against our loved ones would work or come to fruition. We even see that sometimes, those that hate us look for the slightest excuse to hurt us; but we must trust that while it seems the enemy is winning, God is setting them up for a great disgrace. By the power of the Almighty, no evil meant to bring sorrow to us or our loved ones will come near us, in Jesus name.

So, as we’ve seen in the preview of Episode 2, a really callous Dr Edmond would try to hurt Diwura, but have no fear; it’s not the first time someone would try to hurt her and fail. It bounced on Bamidele that time but now, I think he’s steadier in his relationship with God. There seems to be better communication between him and Mama Gboyega, and that tells us how important it is to be spiritually strong individually. The episode starts and ends with a new soundtrack that keeps things fresh in the series.

Watch out for Episode 2 coming out on Sunday, December 27, 2020 on Damilola Mike-Bamiloye YouTube channel. Also watch out for my Top 5 Gospel Movie Soundtracks and my Top 10 Gospel Movies in 2020 to be posted on December 25 and 27 respectively. Thanks so much.

You can watch the movie below :

Till the next article, stay blessed.

“12:45” REVIEW

In line with its captivating trailer, 12:45 gives you a good story packaged by well-executed cinematography and beautiful music.

What’s up, all Christian movie lovers out there? You’re welcome to the review of 12:45, a film by The Winlos, who are popularly known for their hilarious and didactic skits. One of the many things that impresses me about The Winlos is how they’ve made the transition from skits to series and feature films. Success in skits does not necessarily translate to equal success in feature film production, but I daresay that their story telling in this motion picture is quite on another level from the skits. Over the years, they’ve produced some short films and some months ago, they came out with a movie series – Reverse Fall – which to me was just a tip of what was to come which is now here in 12:45.

An outstanding feature of Reverse Fall was its opening and closing credits soundtrack which will definitely be on my top 5 gospel movie soundtracks in 2020 -an article which I’ll be posting on Christmas Day, December 25, so watch out for it. 12:45 has a variety of music that set a cool tone for it at the beginning.

There were also nice aerial and establishment shots, and the ‘oners”, that is the long takes, were quite a delight to see. These oners might have only been for aesthetic effect but this indicates that the producers paid as much attention to packaging as they did to content. The poster picture is captivating, the trailer is enticing and the title evokes curiosity. I think that’s quite the complete package we want in our Christian or gospel movies. Furthermore, the picture quality was great and there were a few creative transitions.

Another feel-good quality of 12:45 is the cameos by Bishop Wale Ajayi and Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo as themselves. I don’t think any Nigerian gospel film has ever featured real-life characters as themselves. If you do, please let me know in the comments section below. You know that glad feeling you get when you come across a renowned person or a popular song in a movie you’re watching; you’ll get that here.

I don’t take the acting in 12:45 for granted at all; it was believable and down-to-earth. All the characters played their roles well. There was also a good balance in the humour and dialogue. This movie has a lot of wisdom to offer the audience and I think my favourite line in it is “Not every scandal is a demonic attack”. All in all, 12:45 is a good movie and I believe you’d enjoy watching it and be blessed by it.

Alright, we’ve come to the end of the review of 12:45. Click below to watch the movie:

Till the next article, stay blessed.

“ON STRIKE” REVIEW

On Strike skillfully crafts a web of individual stories that meet at a climax that is heart-wrenching, but opens our eyes to a bit of reality, thereby challenging us to really trust this God we serve.

Hey folks! You’re welcome to the review of On Strike from the stables of EVOM World Network. It was written and directed by Shola Mike-Agboola.

I see this 84-minute feature film as a proper, complete movie. It virtually does everything it is supposed to do well, putting in different kinds of elements here and there to make it a satisfactory watching experience. On Strike features a car-chase scene that wasn’t a simple series of long shots but a combination of different kinds. The newscaster scene is the most believable I’ve seen in a long time. There’s no fuss about the cinematography – it was just on-point throughout. The movie was also well-edited as exemplified by the seamless movement between shots. The soundtrack at the end was just perfect; it really helped drive home all that the movie had ministered to us. The subtitles were accurate and there is hardly anything that distracts while watching this film, and you’re able to give it full attention.

On Strike tells individual but connected stories including that of a couple played by Gbenga Adekeye, who is not a strange face in EVOM movies, and Nike Adebayo, who plays Janet in the ongoing Husband and Wife Series “Waiters”, showing on Ayobami Adegboyega Gospel Films TV on YouTube. Another strand of the web leads to a gang of thieves while yet another takes us into the life of a senator played by Rotimi Amodu who gives another mature performance here. This film bides its time and scene by scene, builds its stories such that when we see the connection between them, it creates a sharp picture of the message it’s passing across.

In a nutshell, On Strike is a film about acceptable service to God, and in this service, challenges come and the devil wages war against us. In all this, it is vital that we keep our eyes focused on God and not those storms. God is able to save, to deliver, even though we might not know how. If we understand that it’s God we’re serving – God the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Maker of man, the One who gave His only Son to bear the punishment for our sins – it would change our mindsets and perceptions. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6 that it’s impossible to please Him without faith, and that when we come to Him, we must believe in 1) His existence, and 2) that He is a rewarder; God IS a rewarder. That’s who He is. In our relationship with Him, we need to know that nothing we do in His service is ever a waste, and He DOES reward. We’ve only got to ensure that we seek Him diligently.

Alright, we’ve come to the end of the review of On Strike. Have you seen it? If you haven’t, go and watch it. On Strike really blessed me and I’m sure it’ll bless you too.

Till the next article, stay blessed.

Watch the movie below:

“HACKED” Review

Something I have observed about many gospel and Christian films is that even after watching a couple of times, you’d still need to pray for more spiritual understanding so that they could impact our lives to the maximum. “Hacked” is one of such movies…

You’re welcome to the review of the short film “Hacked” from EVOM World Network. I’m beginning to fall in love with EVOM short films because they are creating a knack for innovation. Firstly, “Corked” marked the new introductory tune for the ministry name display, during the review of which I commended it but also expressed my thoughts on the need to accompany it with a modern-day animation (The link to that article https://witnessgospelreviews.movie.blog/2020/08/21/corked-review/). “Hacked” marks the start of that animation and it was beautiful to see the contemporary interpretation of the old animation; very well done.

The music in recent EVOM movies has had this distinct feel to it and it’s the same here. Tomisin and Feranmi Agboola should be commended for their industry in the Sound Effects and Music of these films. I believe there’s more and better to come from them. Similarly, the cinematography by Tomisin Agboola plays a vital role in the early stages of the story by showing, and not telling.

As I’ve said in previous reviews, the level of propriety shown by EVOM movies is remarkable and it’s seen in the design used for the film’s title, one connected with computer codes, similar to the one launched by “The Matrix” trilogy. This made me think though that the story would be about a certain cyber criminal called Pius; it wasn’t. It was something more, and something quite different. It’s sort of a mirror of one of the challenges of our lives in this age; we’re very, very, very busy. It’s relatable to us both physically and spiritually. No spoilers. So, watch it and you’ll get what I’m talking about.

In any case, there’s this scene that brilliantly portrays what spiritual hacking entails. The only speaker in that scene is a preacher but he’s off-screen throughout while Pius is busy with something else; that was a succinct illustration of the literal state of Pius’ mind. In one ear, out the other. This affected not only his walk with God, but also his job. I still pray for better understanding of this movie, because I really feel it’s deep with realities that would help us in our relationship with God.

Click below to watch the movie:

https://youtu.be/D1OpVRMS4l4

Till the next article, stay blessed!

ABEJOYE SEASON 4 RELEASE DATE – Fantalk II

Hey folks! You’re welcome to the second edition of Fantalk for Abejoye Season 4. We have two poster pictures to look at,as well as giving you an update on its date of release. So, this will be a short one; let’s get right into it.

The poster above bears the tag “Ajibogun ya!” which was first spoken at the dramatic end of Season 2 Part 1 when the imprecations meant to bring Baba Abejoye back home didn’t work on him because he was surrounded by God’s hedge of fire, but bounced off him and touched Bamidele who had opened the door to the devil by living in deceit. At the end of the entire Season 2, a return to Ajibogun was mooted again when after Abejoye resolved the conflict between Dedun and her husband, they expressed plans to meet whenever Baba got back to Nigeria.

Interestingly, just halfway into Season 1, Baba was basically on his way back to Ajibogun, but the Pastor saved his blushes. This means that in the three seasons so far, the return to Ajibogun has been coming for a while, and in Season 4, we’ll get to know what’s so special about the Nigerian village called Ajibogun.

The other poster really caught my attention because I noticed a similar motif in the trailer that I didn’t think much of before. Baba had his back turned in a certain shot as the camera zoomed in towards him. It then stopped and as Baba turned his face towards the audience; what we see is a dark profile where his face is virtually invisible. Interestingly, this scene might not even be in the movie but just serves as a teaser for it.

This is similar to this poster picture where Baba’s entire physical features are essentially in a silhouette. Why this dark theme? What does dark mean? Will the light of Christ in Baba go dim? Will he turn evil? Is he going to lose someone he loves? We’ll know soon enough.

Abejoye Season 4 is coming to YouTube from December 20 to Jan 10, 2021, in guess what? 4 EPISODES! Can you imagine that? Previously, each season has had two parts but now, we have episodes. That reminds me of “Abattoir” which was also in episodes and was so enjoyable. And then, look at the halo around Baba Abejoye’s head in this new poster picture. Yeah, the light of Christ will definitely shine again on Baba. Wow!

Ensure you subscribe to Damilola Mike-Bamiloye YouTube channel so that you’ll get notified once it’s uploaded.