Witness Gospel Movie Reviews

“ONE STREET ONE SOUND” REVIEW

The movie “One Street One Sound” was written, produced and directed by Adeola Jerry-Oluwagbemi. He has come a long way from “Countdown” which was produced in 2017. OSOS, as it’s popularly called, is a movie that treats sensitive matters that pertain especially to youths and their sexuality, among other things.

There are a lot of commendable things about OSOS. From the beginning, the film gets the audience’s attention with its music and opening credits and shots, which all work in tandem with one another. All establishing drone shots in the movie are attractive; something I appreciate about them is the fact that they have the same picture quality as other scenes in the movie. The drone shots were not gotten from another already-produced movie; the film shoots its own aerial views of places in Germany and Nigeria. The production is colourful, aesthetic, and arguably competes with Nigerian gospel movies with the best picture so far.

The use of music is a major force in OSOS. Funny tunes were used for lighthearted dialogues, chants were sometimes used for tense scenes, and sounds occasionally served as transitions into other scenes. The soundtrack of the movie was fantastic; it was artistically inserted throughout the film and it peaked at the movie’s strongest point. The hip-hop tune synced with the opening credits and served as a worthy appetizer to a brilliant production.

The acting here was excellent; there were not only great individual performances, but also a lot of chemistry between actors that shared the screen in different scenes. Kingsley (Femi Adebile) and Grandma (Adebomi Olla) both portrayed a charming yet dynamic relationship that could seamlessly turn on its head. Similarly, the friendship between Jummy (Adeola Adetoye) and Jadel (Aanu Kolade) was well-portrayed. They both brought such life to their characters that one would think that they have a friendship that predates this movie. The casting was correctly done in “One Street One Sound”.

In terms of its subject matter, this movie is robust. OSOS was able to successfully treat two major issues without any interference. I’m glad the movie ended the way it did because it enabled us to know the gravity of its themes. If it had bailed out on that path, it might have undermined the message it was trying to pass across. Sometimes, a movie may take you on a serious lane, only to cheapen it again by means of a flashback or a dream motif or imagination, but this one doesn’t, hence, strengthening its core. I’m also impressed by the film’s subtle depiction of gluttony. I’ve hardly ever heard anyone talk about it, let alone make a movie about it. It is a problem that should be dealt with (Prov 23:2, 20 – 21).

The film was written in a way that not all details were provided in any scene. This would raise questions in the viewer’s mind, thus making OSOS more engaging to watch. So, things that look like plot holes or loose ends take on new dimensions the more we watch the movie. Even the title has got me brainstorming with other viewers since we first watched it. Yes, the title sounds cool but what its relevance was to the movie was unclear. Not until a week after, as I pondered on seeming place continuity errors I observed in OSOS did I understand what the “One Street” meant. Greater than that realization was the fact that it actually resolved all my doubts on what I thought were mistakes. The ingenuity of the story cannot be questioned and we realize more and more that, like an onion, there is always a layer of the plot to be unveiled.

I like that OSOS shows the struggles of many youths. Many believe in Jesus today on their own terms; they are ‘undercover Christians’ who can’t be found guilty if placed on trial for being a Christian. They serve God according to their natural desires, though the Bible tells us to make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its desires. (Rom 13:14). The movie also shows that God and humans see sin quite differently. We are the ones that think a certain sin is ‘worse’ than another. We think adultery is when actual sex is done outside marriage, but God says it’s sin if you so much as think of it. Likewise, youths today feel that they are under more pressure than people of previous generations were; that may be true but the Bible makes us realize that times may be different but the same principles apply. The Bible tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way as we are (Heb 4:15); yet, there probably wasn’t pornography as we have it today then. So, the major thing is identifying all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16), and dealing with those roots.

“One Street One Sound” is instructive because it does not just portray a problem but also shows us the way out. Jummy saw she needed help and cried out; she didn’t suffer in silence. In our world today, there are so many teenagers and youths who really need God’s help and a helping hand from a trusted parent figure. There is a warning though to be careful whom one seeks help from. Similarly, the writer recommends resources that would help the viewer. It is clear from this that this is not just a movie to entertain or pass a message across; it was produced for great impact. I have seen at close quarters the healing that this movie brings and I have not stopped witnessing how those who have seen it have been touched.

The subtitles however, could have been done better, because there were errors in them. Also, I feel that though the Germany scenes had their purpose, they could have been made more related to the Nigerian scenes. The only natural thread that linked both settings was a family relationship shown by an Evangelist Yemi Adepoju cameo, whose two children schooled in Germany.

BOLD: that was the first word that came to my mind after my first viewing of OSOS. “One Street One Sound” is a production that treats issues that require boldness to talk about in public. It is my opinion that this boldness should be reciprocated by parents sitting with their children to watch this movie (I don’t think teenagers should watch it alone; their parents should be there to guide them and answer whatever questions they might have). Churches also could show the movie to their teenagers and youths so that many more people will be reached with this message of hope, healing and restoration. The premiere copy uploaded online was copyrighted to 2019; I don’t know but if it would later be credited for release as a 2020 movie, but it would surely be one of the most talked-about movies of the year.

To watch the movie, click on the link below

Have you watched the movie? Please comment below and let us know how OSOS blessed you.

TOP 10 GOSPEL MOVIES OF 2019

Before I commence with my top ten Nigerian gospel movies of 2019, I’d like to appreciate everyone who has constantly visited this blog for gospel movie reviews. By God’s grace, next year will be a glorious year for us all in Jesus’ Name.

I cannot say that I’ve watched every gospel film produced in 2019 but I’ve watched a good number, and of those I watched, here are my top ten:

10 – DIRE

Dire tells the story of Tony who begins to question the God’s choice of Sophia as his life partner when he discovers a dirty detail of her past. There is some good cinematography and acting here, and there are valuable lessons that can be learnt from the movie.

9- ENITARAN

Enitaran was written by Olumide Oki. The story presents an illustration of the love that God has towards us, the love that drove Jesus to die for our sins while we were yet sinners. The film has a lot of star power and this reflects in the high quality of acting and production.

8 – OKUNKUN BIRIMUBIRIMU

Okunkun Birimubirimu is a charming love movie that was written by Isaac Femi-Akintunde. It presents the story of, and an example of true love that overcomes. Jide Aanu-Ademola and Opeyemi Akintunde are the protagonists in this movie and their story is one that is delightful to watch.

7 – KEMBE ISONU Season 1

This is a movie from PREM Films International which comprises two parts. The movie uses quality time in character development and steadily builds its world over two parts that end in a worthwhile viewing experience. It sets up a season two whose details I hope we’ll get to know in the coming year.

6 – THE SALT

I love this movie for its socio-political element. I could tag it a Christo-socio-political movie. It presents our everyday living in different aspects of the society, showing how important godly governance is. I believe so much in this movie that if we follow its guidelines for the next few years, we are sure to witness a positive change in the political outlook of this country soon.

5 – SHACKLES

What a beautiful movie this is! I think most memorable in this movie is the song rendition by Evangelist Mike Bamiloye. It’s a powerful movie that exposes false prophets/prophetesses, and teaches about the importance of discernment and patience in our walk with God.

4 – GBEMI

Adopted from the novel with the same title by Emmanuela Mike-Bamiloye, this movie is really loved, especially by youths. Femi Adebile’s performance here was worthy of accolades and we hope to see more movies like this in 2020.

3 – Akobi Laaroye Part 2

This movie takes off from where the first part left off and it sees Jesugbami, who has undergone a total transformation, return to the land of Iyarako along with the king and his wife as they face old and new foes in several battles.

2 –LAIDE’S NOTE

I love the acting in this movie which was just really down-to-earth. There are several levels of lessons that this movie teaches its viewers. The story is beautiful and it looks set up for another part, but I guess we’ll get to know in due time.

1 – ABEJOYE SEASON 3

I’m quite sure that you knew it would be this, didn’t you? This was an excellent movie and I can only wax lyrical about it. Baba Abejoye continues his journey in his new-found faith in Jesus, whom he trusts to defend him against familiar and strange foes. Worldwide premieres are already ongoing and I strongly urge you get the nearest centre to watch it.

I should also give special mentions to some movies I watched IN 2019 though they are 2018 movies. “Tenant in Hell” would have been on this list, “Neema” also. “Konkomania” was a brilliant movie.

We thank God for bringing us to the end of year 2019. Happy new year in advance! We pray that God will make 2020 a year of great joy and peace for us, our households and the gospel movie industry..

Till the first blog post of year 2020 by God’s grace, stay blessed!

REVIEW OF “OVERCOMER”

OVERCOMER is the sixth movie from the Kendrick Brothers, who have been popularly known for each of their five previous movies, all great films. I’m talking about Flywheel (2003), Facing the Giants (2006), Fireproof (2008), Courageous (2011) and War Room (2015). These are all movies I would strongly recommend you watch.

One remarkable thing about the Kendrick Brothers is just how far they have come from the days of Flywheel. This is a group that started from the church and has grown into blockbuster status while retaining the Christian core of their message. Their last movie, War Room, blessed the world, and became a box office hit to become the 4^th highest-grossing Christian film in the United States, as at April 2019. Hence, their next movie was eagerly anticipated and last year, I found out that they had OVERCOMER slated for an August 2019 release. So, how was the movie? For me, Overcomer was long overdue, and it seems like the years used in crafting this movie have paid off because the film was deeply-spiritual, highly-impactful and entertaining.

The story is about John Harrison, played by Alex Kendrick, whose life changes overnight when his high school basketball team’s state championship dreams are flushed down the drain of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant in town suddenly shuts down and hundreds of families begin to move away, John has to come to grips with the challenges facing his family and his team. Urged by the school’s principal (played by Priscilla Shirer) to fill-in and coach a sport he doesn’t know or like, John is frustrated and his worth is put into question, until he crosses paths with a student struggling with her own journey.

Unlike some of their previous movies, Overcomer began a bit slowly and built its story steadily. At a point in time, I was afraid the movie was about to get a bit boring (as though that were possible for a Kendrick Brothers movie); it then sprang into life with a crescendo that reaches its zenith just at the end. The story was well-crafted and as the movie goes on, you’d become emotionally invested in the characters.

The movie addresses a matter that is a basic yet an essential part of our faith in God – identity. I feel that until this is settled, a Christian would probably never key fully into the abundant life Jesus came to give believers. It’s so important that even when the devil tempted Jesus, the question of identity was brought up: “…if You’re the Son of God…” The first time I watched this movie, I had to stop halfway to meditate about my life and who I really am in Jesus. This is a movie that will ask questions which when answered, would re-focus our direction if we’ve got it wrong in any way.

The introduction of the character of Thomas Hill, played by Cameron Arnett, was a masterful stroke. He subtly drives the deep and high points of this movie. The actors were all good in their roles. Hannah Scott, played by Aryn Wright-Thompson, initially looked like there wasn’t much acting on her path, but that was due to the fact that the narrative during that period was yet to really link her up with Coach Harrison. When she eventually does, she gives a worthwhile delivery of lines and a good performance. She very well portrayed a reserved girl with a heart for Christ.

The end of the story delivers a moment that will make you skip a heartbeat as you watch; it literally stopped me in my tracks. This is a really good movie and it delivers on its promise of being a movie filled with a powerful mix of faith, a twist of humour and a ton of heart.

Later today, we’ll be publishing the last blog post for this year – The Top Ten (Nigerian) Gospel movies of 2019. See you then!

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“A TENANT IN HELL” REVIEW

A Tenant in Hell is a movie released from the stables of TRECOM Worldwide. The film was directed by David Kola-Okeowo while Kunle Adepoju was the Director of Photography (DOP).

Where do I start from? This movie was very much an enjoyable watching experience. It was fully loaded with a brilliant story concept, great actor performances, rich dialogue embodied in the native Yoruba language mixed with some English, a vivid illustration of life in the motor park and of spiritual warfare, and entertainment all through.

From the opening shot of the movie to the end, the camera work was creatively executed. I must say, this was a first class job done by Kunle Adepoju. I don’t think I’ve seen so much handheld camera movement in a Nigerian gospel movie as I witnessed in this one. The impressive thing is that this movement did not distract, but rather carried the atmosphere, mood and tone of the movie, thereby aiding the conveying of its message. I noticed that most scenes that had static shots were those that had Jesus at the centre of discussion or action. Others had a lot of movement which paints the picture of an unsteady ship, one that doesn’t have Jesus. The 360 degrees camera movement was used in a few scenes to good effect. The drone shots, especially at the beginning, were done with a touch of class.

The music was also spot on throughout. The main background tune was superb; it had the feel of the 80s/90s arcade games such as Mario. This was a similar instrument used in Disney’s Wreck it Ralph (2012) that was actually about the character of an arcade game. The tune sometimes cut abruptly to another tune, all just to indicate the busyness of the world of the motor park. These tunes were used along with a few other tracks, all inserted at the right places.

The acting sometimes felt so real that you’d forget it was a movie you were watching. The movie brought together different ministry professionals who did an outstanding job. Something I found amazing is the way the movie dips you gradually into the story you’re about to see. It starts with character actions along with the character names, and then displays their real names during which, pair after pair, you realize the movie is loaded with talents and experience in the drama ministry. It was a great pleasure seeing the president of EVOM World Network, Evangelist Shola Mike Agboola, along with Gbenga Ayoola, Sam Aliu, Lara Ayoola, Evangelist Wole Olaleye, Seyi Pedro-Adetola, Opeyemi Akintunde and a host of others featuring in this movie. Of course, when you have so many stars in your production, there is always that challenge of correct and proper screen time allocation such that it wouldn’t compromise the weight of the story.

Just take a look at Marvel’s Infinity War (2018) for example; you’d notice that little or no attention was given to the relationship between the Hulk and Natasha that had been portrayed in Age of Ultron (2015), due to the number of individual stories the film was bringing together. Here however, each of these characters was cast right and in the end, you could argue that the story uses the right amount of time for character development, and that there were two or three protagonists, without one infringing on the importance of the others.

What a performance by Sam Aliu! Wow! Gbenga Ayoola! Wonderful! Every character at the motor park delivered performances that were incredible. I only wish Opeyemi Akintunde was given more to do in the script, given what a great talent she is. Someone made me realize though that the part she played was exactly what her character was meant to do – rely on her man – and that she did perfectly throughout the film.
Special mentions should be given to Seun Oni’s Ijaya and Gab Oluniyi’s Danku; for me, these guys were not even acting at all. Their performances were so real that they felt unreal. Their language, diction, manner of speech, and coarseness of voice were done to perfection. I feel some performances here should win at movie award ceremonies next year.
The costuming and make up was on point. Two thumbs up to Abayomi Ojo and Funke Adepoju!
One strength of this movie was its dialogue. I am quite sure that a lot of research and understudying would have gone into this production to ensure that all actors eased into their characters. The dialogue was apt and the script brought out the best in everyone.

I like the work of the subtitler who at certain times, chose to give literal translations to the proverbs used in the movie, rather than proverbial meanings. This afforded those of us who did not know what the words meant some good laughs. Aside a few typographical errors, the subtitling was good.
The movie portrayed its motor park setting very well and skillfully, because, there were scenes where nothing too much was being done towards propelling the plot, but you’d hardly notice because the movie was just so much fun to be at. These same scenes just portrayed to us how non-directional lives without Jesus could be.

The movie is a revealer. It subtly lets us know the ideal without pushing it to our faces. It exposes the state of our hearts concerning soul winning, as well as towards God. There are singlehood and marriage lessons in here too. It opens our eyes to see that some places yet unreached with the Gospel are just around the corner of our neighborhoods. What a great movie this is!

To watch the movie, click below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RptELHvhnM

The video review for A Tenant in Hell will be out on my YouTube channel on Wednesday at the latest, by God’s grace. Click below to watch previous reviews, and please subscribe to be notified anytime there’s a new movie review.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSE0mdRRFg0BG66lIbFLFWQ

Next, we’ll be reviewing Overcomer (2019) from the Kendrick Brothers. Till then, stay blessed!

ABEJOYE SEASON 3 REVIEW : POWER-PACKED, THOUGHT-PROVOKING, HEART-TOUCHING!

There are two things I’d like you to know before I begin this review: first is that I’ll make this as spoiler-free as possible so that you can enjoy the movie to the maximum whenever you watch it; secondly, I need you to know that Abejoye Season 3 was in one word, MIND-BLOWING.

Watching the premiere of the third installment in the franchise produced by the Mount Zion Film Productions and Flaming Sword Ministries International was, I believe, an experience of a lifetime. The writer, Evangelist Mike Bamiloye is a blessing to this generation as he has been to previous generations, and will still be to generations to come.

Just before the PLAY button was hit for the premiere, he said that he hoped that the audience thought that the movie was interesting. After watching the movie, I can confidently say that Abejoye Season 3 is better than Season 1 and Season 2…combined…times 10. I’m yet to recover from the encounter.

I’ll be making references to my post on ABEJOYE SEASON 3 – FANTALK, so if you haven’t read it, please read it first so that this review feels richer to you. https://witnessgospelreviews.movie.blog/2019/11/30/abejoye-season-3-fantalk/

Where does one begin to talk about something better than a masterpiece? I’ll start with the characters.

Every actor in this movie took their performance up a notch. Every role was executed with a level of excellence higher than in previous seasons. The movie is filled with a number of new characters smoothly grafted into this new season, while retaining almost all its old characters. The remarkable thing about this inclusion is that it does not seem out of place at any point in time. It rather feels like they’ve been there all along. I also really appreciate the character of the Pastor; he is a good mirror for all those shepherding God’s flocks out there. He doesn’t get spoken about nearly enough but his part in the series is sacrosanct. I’m glad also, that Bamidele becomes more of the man God wants him to be.

A whole array of more gospel stars are included in this new season such as Feyi Adepoju as Iyalode (as speculated in FANTALK), her real-life husband Yemi Adepoju, Moses Korede Are, Adedun Olumuyiwa, Rotimi Amodu, Abiola Jesulowo reprising his role in an ANCEDRAM production, as Jesus, while I think I also spotted Edward Adefila.

The cinematography, that had already set a standard in previous seasons, was a step up. With regards to the music, Jay-Mikee was at it again and even better this time around. The opening piece of the movie was war-themed, and he was still able to use the default “Eh, hmm Abejoye” background tune at the appropriate places, thus connecting the audience back to previous seasons. Also in this season, we get to hear the verses of Baba’s “Oluwa bori o” chorus which he gave during his super-long blessings over the food in Season 2. The cool song at the end credits was just classic. The visual effects were also from the top-drawer.

I’ll make an illustration to help you understand how mighty the power of God over this film is: the ultimate feeling and impact found in the third season of Abejoye is what the Marvel Cinematic Universe used 21 movies to try to build up to in Avengers: Endgame (2019).

The movie wastes no time in picking up from the scraps of the battle in previous seasons. Right from the off, the revenge mission is on. The warfare in the first two seasons is nothing compared to the ones here, where it’s really intense and unrelenting.

Talk about Baba Abejoye and his garrulousness and other excesses; these are the very things that make us love him, and the movie retains a large chunk of them.

A few funny observations for me include “My Defender” also being a Christmas movie, but someone needs to explain to Baba what “Jingle Bells” really means. Lol. And from his dressing, we could argue that Baba has chosen a denomination to worship in. Lol.

The seamless transition and sequence of the movie is impeccable. A deliberate effort I observed in this season is that the movie makes attempts to give real context to the timeline of the three seasons. We get to know just how long this story has been on for in its world. This makes the film all the more impressive, given how much ground has been covered and how great a blessing just the two previous seasons have been.

The set design was also greatly done. Improvements are done to give old settings a new look. The Kabiyesi’s palace for instance, looks different, but a critical study would make us realize it’s still probably the same room used, albeit a different side this time around. In a similar vein, the costuming was better, typified by better pyjamas gotten for Bamidele.

I don’t know why but many fans seem to hate it when many villains are pitted against their hero, as those criticisms have been leveled against Sam Raimi’s Spiderman 3 (2007) and Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014). This isn’t the case here as, though there is more than one villain, it makes perfect sense and each provides a different dimension of tests to the other.

The movie is a real wake-up call for Christians as individuals, families, and as a community; there are a lot of things for everyone to pick from this movie. I can’t begin to mention those profound findings without giving away too many plot details. Maybe I’ll create a segment on this blog for discussing the depths of messages presented in Gospel movies – a Five-paragraph Sermon, if you will.

This story was definitely Holy Spirit-inspired because believe you me, it is robust in all regards. For me, this is no better displayed than in the fact that while the first parts of Abejoye Season 1 and 2 could not really be complete without their respective second parts, the first part of Season 3 was a fulfilling experience on its own; it could have served as a standalone movie. Without the second part of Season 3, you would still leave the movie having a lot to chew on spiritually and entertainment-wise. So, there being Abejoye Season 3 Part 2 was a real icing on the cake, but MORE: the part one was more like a tip of the iceberg. In the end, we could say that we were served a seven-step cake, if I ever saw one.

Hopefully, I’ll publish another post with a lot of spoilers but at that point, I hope a good number of people would have watched it, so that I’ll speak more expressly.

This film is firmly based on Scripture. It gives the illustration to one of the roots of sin in our lives. I believe that when we see this, many of us are going to be totally delivered from sins that we’ve erstwhile felt helpless to.

The movie had everything.

Would it be too early if I said that this is the best gospel movie of 2019? Before the end of this year, by God’s grace, I’ll post an article on the top ten movies of the year. There’s A WHOLE LOT MORE I could, and should say about this movie but in Jesus’ Name, I stop here for now.

Hopefully, it will be uploaded on the World Movie Cinema soon. As soon as I get to know, I’ll notify you on this blog.

The video of Abejoye Season 3 review will be dropped on my YouTube channel on Tuesday. Click on the link below to subscribe, click the notification bell, and get informed when the review is uploaded.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSE0mdRRFg0BG66lIbFLFWQ

This Christmas season has been very nice to movies. I’ve watched a good number of movies and I’ll be reviewing them. Till the next one, stay blessed.

UPDATE: The information was just released online that Abejoye Season 3 begins worldwide premieres on December 15. Visit this link for full details: https://www.instagram.com/p/B51eC9Bnz0X/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

ABEJOYE SEASON 2 REVIEW

If you’re looking for filmmaking per excellence, this is one production that mirrors it. The story, shooting, editing, music, acting…everything about this movie is outstanding. It goes without saying too that this movie is hilarious; you’ll definitely have a lot of laugh-out-loud moments.

The story picks up where the first season left off. As the title “Peacemaker” suggests, we see Baba Abejoye acting as a mediator in this movie, in ways that exude divine wisdom. It is this wisdom that deposits peace into a storm that we did not know existed before.

It so happens that demons from Bamidele’s past come knocking and visit his family once again. This movie, as the first season, emphasizes the need for families to be spiritually sensitive, as well as the need to correctly discern events. We see how important it is for Christians not to give the devil a chance in their lives or families. As some say, if you give the devil a space, he’ll take the whole race from you.

Unlike the Season 1, the movie shows a lot of the Nigerian location, Ajibogun to be specific. There, we see what kind of place Baba Abejoye has come from. Indeed, there are a number of battles that he has to fight, and the movie portrays different dimensions of our battles, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers of darkness. We see how vulnerable a man without Jesus is.

The way Dedun’s story unfolds is very nice and it’s an illustration that God is the healer of families.

Initially, I was upset at the way Wole Adeyi’s Bamidele character ended in the movie. This is because he went through yet another season of being conveniently at peace with all manners of deceit. He is once again forgiven, and that’s what God would have anyone do to a person who offends us, but I believe it’s high time Bamidele carried out a spiritual audit of his life. I feel that for him to feel at home with hiding his extra-marital relationship from his wife who had forgiven him a few weeks earlier gives cause for concern.

More than anything, I hoped there would be a Season 3 that would address this loose end. A few weeks after, news broke out online that Abejoye Season 3 was in the production stage. I was so excited and can’t just wait to watch this new season.

Watch out for a review of its premiere on this blog!

Click the links below to watch the Season Two:

Part 1 https://youtu.be/axcxui10wYA

Part 2 https://youtu.be/60kjn6fj-h0

ABEJOYE SEASON 3 PREMIERE BUILDUP – ABEJOYE SEASON 1 REVIEW

ABEJOYE is a production from the collaboration between Flaming Sword Ministries International and the Mount Zion Film Productions. This film captivated Christian movie viewers in 2017 with a first story in a while written by veteran drama minister Mike Bamiloye. I remember watching the premiere and thinking, “O my God, this daddy is really, really gifted”. Before then, many then-recent Mount Zion films had been written by Damilola Mike-Bamiloye. I had felt at that time, that the time of the fathers had passed and that we were in the period of dominance by the younger generation.

However, after watching ABEJOYE, I realised that the fathers were by no means out of business. In fact, I saw that each generation was unique in its own way and that there was a depth to films by older drama ministers that the younger generation would get only with more years in walking with God.

ABEJOYE was premiered at the Drama Ministers Power Night and after watching the first part, I felt spellbound. Why, you may wonder. Olaiyotan. Olaiyotan Abejoye. He’s the reason this production is so powerful.

Olaiyotan Abejoye, arguably the main character, is perfectly played by Mike Bamiloye. The character Abejoye is an enigma, a phenomenon. Everything he did in the movie just blew me away. He was funny, witty, loquacious and a man who is not afraid of a fight.

ABEJOYE is the story of a family who is going through afflictions of the enemy. Unfortunately, there are strong pointers to the origin of those afflictions being the presence of Olaiotan Abejoye. We later on discover the root of the problems they encounter.

The way his character was crafted made it easy for every viewer to truly care about him, and when he is sent out of the house at the end of the part one, you really feel for him, that you get confused, wondering whether you ought to care so much for someone who clearly serves idols, and yet, obviously loves his son and his son’s family very much.

The way the misconceptions are crafted was so real that we the audience obviously know more than the characters themselves and we just want to make things right ourselves, but we can’t.

Eventually, he meets with the Lord and rather than being the Custodian of the Sacred Gourd, he becomes a Guardian of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ over his family.

I wouldn’t want to give away too many details for fear of spoiling the movie for you who haven’t watched it, but believe you me, it’s not a movie you shouldn’t watch before the end of this year. Before the end of the year, I’ll be posting an article on the Top Movies you should watch before the end of this decade.

Till then, stay blessed.Click the link below to watch ABEJOYE SEASON 1

Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tinRsVNnyh0

Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cji0r4FmoPo

ABEJOYE SEASON 3 – FANTALK

Alright! The moment we’ve been waiting for is now here. Abejoye Season 3 will be premiered this December!
In recent months, there has been the release of some production pictures, a movie poster and a notification of the premiere. We’ll be looking at each of these pictures, the ‘Easter eggs’ and pointers in them, as well as the actual date of its premiere.

The first production still was released in September and we see that Gbenga Ayoola’s Abore features predominantly. He is in what looks like a house, talking with a particular idol on his shelf. It’s most likely a room in a house because, while the idol might make us think that it is his shrine, we’d gotten to see his shrine in the first Nigerian scene in Abejoye Season 2.

In a similar shot, we see Joshua Mike-Bamiloye (Jay-Mikee) behind the camera, which suggests that this time, he would be also be serving as the DOP (or assistant to the DOP) in the Nigerian location.
In the last Nigerian location picture, we see Damilola Mike-Bamiloye behind the camera this time in the palace of Kabiyesi played by Joseph Yemi Adepoju in a palace where I think I spotted Feyi Adepoju, who wasn’t in any of the previous seasons. In the Nigerian location in the previous films, Iya ‘Kesan, played by Idowu Oluwaferanmi was the only female palace official, or even the only woman featured in the Nigerian scenes. It seems likely that if this is Feyi Adepoju, she would be the Iyalode of the land, a very important palace chief. As he was in the USA scenes in Season 2, Jay-Mikee is the soundman in this scene.

The palace here is very similar to that of Season Two with a few tweaks here and there. Isaac Femi-Akintunde’s Oluoje’s character stands out in this shot, looking healthy. This is not to say that he eventually gets his healing in Season Three, because after all, he is not in front of the camera at that time. Nonetheless, I know many people would be hoping that he would eventually encounter God in this coming season of Abejoye.

In September, four more pictures were released online showing the USA location. We’re quite sure of this because of the setting, as well as Wole Adeyi being captured in the background of that picture, while Damilola Mike-Bamiloye with the camera is in focus.

Two other pictures feature Damilola Mike-Bamiloye, Joshua Mike-Bamiloye and Taiwo Adeniyi as crew members.

The last picture spots our beloved Baba Abejoye and a man dressed in white native attire. Considering the proximity of both characters, as well as the shot which models something akin a high-angle shot, it looks like the man would be higher in status than Baba. Hence, most likely, the man would be a representation of the Holy Spirit. Buttressing this is the fact that Baba Abejoye, who is always in his white attire, is seen in a cream-coloured/off-white outfit here, perhaps to indicate that there is none as holy as God.

Finally, last week, the poster of the movie tagged “My Defender” was released.

The usual main characters are found there with the inclusion of an unusual one – an idol. Looking through the previous seasons, we can’t say specifically if it has featured before, because it is similar to the idols found in Kabiyesi’s palace, Abore’s shrine and Mosadiwin’s power house. Is he the one Baba Abejoye needs defence from? We’ll find out soon enough.

Personally, I would like the movie to visit Bamidele’s roots, as he seems to have a foundational problem with his Christianity. Was he genuinely saved, or he’s just playing church? I hope we’ll get the answer in the movie.

The movie will be premiered at the last Drama Ministers’ Power Night for 2019, holding on Friday, December 6, at Molete Baptist Church, Molete Challenge, Ibadan, starting at 7:30pm.
I encourage all my readers to be there as it promises to be a “swell” time in God’s presence.

I don’t think there will be many people who are yet to watch any of the previous Abejoye seasons, but in case you haven’t, I’ll be reviewing both seasons and referring you to the download links, in the build up to the premiere of Season 3 next Friday.

Till then, stay blessed.

Review of “ENITARAN”

This is a 2019 movie that was written by Olumide Oki. A commendable feat by this movie is its star-studded cast and crew. This movie uses actors and actresses whose pedigrees are those of protagonists, but here, many of them feature as supporting cast. Christ Mirror Film Productions did not limit itself in any way; I daresay that it got the best of the best in the ministry to shoulder the production portfolios of this movie.

Similarly, it didn’t make use of actors that belong to its ministry alone, but got many other professionals to do the tasks that needed to be carried out in the movie. It boasts cast like Kayode Babalola, Deborah Adeola, Omolara Ayoola, Chioma Chukwulotam, Tobi Olumuyiwa, Adeoye Omoniyi, Richard Omidiwura…the list is endless. The crew also comprises the cream of the crop in Victor Olukoju as the director, Kunle Adepoju as the director of photography, Nike Owah as the make-up artist, Chioma Chukwulotam as the continuity manager, Johnson Babatola as the set-designer, Abiola Babatola Nattytunes as the editor, Tunde Owah as the production manager, and a whole retinue of other ministry professionals. This is a movie with a lot of time, revenue and effort invested into it.

One other interesting and vital crew portfolio indicated in the end credits is the prayer department, which is credited to Olubunmi Oki. This is a strong indicator and reminder that the gospel movie sector is hardly an industry, but a ministry. The place of prayer cannot be overemphasized. Producing any film that proclaims the gospel is one under serious spiritual threats. Drama ministers have to come to this understanding that it’s not about being seen on stage or online, but about serious spiritual warfare which shouldn’t be taken lightly.

The movie is akin to an abstract painting, the meaning of which is somewhat of a mystery at the beginning but which eventually at the end, comes together to form a masterpiece. Just as pieces of a puzzle would, the ending of the movie serves as that “Aha!” moment where you get the whole picture. It serves as a great illustration of the message of the Cross, which is a pleasant aroma to those being saved and a stench to those perishing.

The movie tells about the good news which really is the ‘too-good-to-be-true’ news that salvation has come not by the law, but by believing on the one whom God has sent, His Son Jesus Christ. This is an “offer” to be grabbed with both hands. Like someone once said, you can’t genuinely be saved and not witness the transformation that only Jesus gives. He said that the gospel of Christ is like a product with a lifetime warranty: Try Jesus for six (6) months. If you don’t like it, you can have your sins back.

lol.

To watch/download the movie, click on the link below

NOT AN ORPHAN Review

“Not an Orphan” is a movie from Faith-Lift Productions uploaded on YouTube in 2019. The movie stars Joshua Alawiye, Victoria Odesola, Kolade Segun-Okeowo, Tolulope Odesola, and several others including veterans like Morakinyo Abiodun, Adenike Aderemi-Fashikun – the director of the film, Yemi Adepoju, Abayomi Ojo and others, including one of the producers and the man who conceived the story, the Assistant General Overseer (Admin & Personell) National Secretary RCCG, Pastor J.F. Odesola.

It brings to the fore the life of a young man Daniel, who is an orphan but who finds meaning in a relationship with God, though some others think that there can be no meaningful relationship with someone of his origins.

One commendable thing about this movie is the effort and resources put into its production. This is by no means a cheap production. I don’t think I have seen so many crew members partake in the production of a Nigerian gospel movie, experienced hands too. There was almost a different person to each portfolio; the story, screenplay, production management, set design, music, etc were all undertaken by different sets of people. It is therefore no big surprise that the quality of the production is high. It is a feature movie by all standards. The shots taken, locations used and costuming are representative of a wide variety of choices, and show that a lot of time and money was put into this. I greatly appreciate the movie for this.

The message of the movie itself is so powerful that you’d find yourself ruminating on it afterwards. For fear of spoiling the movie for those that have not watched it, I don’t want to write too much about the plot nor the moral it passes across, but one thing is sure – this film is deep.

Daniel suffers rejection from people you wouldn’t expect it, and one is made to wonder what kind of Christianity doesn’t show love and kindness to other people, even if they are from entirely different backgrounds to ours.

The acting is quite convincing too and we can keep peeling through the layers to see the different ways in which this movie ministers to people.

However, I think that the movie misses out on making itself not only an impactful, but an entertaining story; it misses out on making itself much more memorable than it was. At the end, the message shone through and would make you spell-bound, but I feel strongly that this movie could have been so much more. I’m referring here to a plot angle not explored at all, or barely explored in the movie – the relationship between Daniel and Deola.

It would have been a proper foil for the relationship between Daniel and Sharon which kick-started this movie. We see two lovebirds who later deliver a beautiful rendition of “You are the Reason I Live”. We don’t know how the relationship started but we feel like that they deeply love each other as they make heart-felt promises to each other when Daniel is about to leave the country. We might have seen more of Daniel’s love-mode had the movie shown us how the friendship between him and Sharon developed into what they eventually ended the movie as. The script could have explored it more and it could have been something dramatic or at least, endearing to the audience. I feel this would have also given then Tolulope Odesola (now Tolulope Mike-Bamiloye) more to work with and to do. It must be said though that the music at the end credits by the voices of Joshua Alawiye, Tolu and Victoria Odesola was beautifully rendered.

Nonetheless, “Not an Orphan” is a nice movie with a message everyone ought to consider and take action about.

To watch/download the movie, click the link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgx1q32O51E