July 2016

Revue of I AM WRATH

Genre: Action/Thriller

Directed By: Chuck Russel

John Travolta is Stanley Hill, an ex assassin whose wife is killed in a parking lot in what seems to be a random act of violence. The corrupt state fails to bring the perps to book, and Travolta brings down his wrath and goes on a revenge mission to avenge his slain wife.

I see that this movie is touted online as Travolta’s version of “Taken”, I beg to disagree. I think this movie has more in common with Keanu Reeves “John Wick”, the only difference being that this one was boring.

In all sincerity, I have been reluctant to go to the cinema to see this movie because the plot is soooooooo cliché with countless clichéd scenes, for example; breaking down a false wall to reveal an old armory where weaponry from his hey days were hidden. OMG, how many times have we seen that scene?

For a movie that was about a pained ex-assassin bringing down his wrath, there was little or no viciousness in it. Travolta’s acting was horrible he seemed constipated rather than angry, but I don’t really blame him because there wasn’t really much of a script to go on. I actually expected that they would have thrown in a lot of action sequences to cover up for its inadequacies, but noooooooo, they attempted to captivate me with boredom.

Travolta is one of my favorite actors and to see him in such a role physically hurt me. Maybe there is a dearth of roles for him but I don’t think he should have gone so low as to be a part of this. I Am Wrath has incurred my wrath and earns 4.2/10 on my awesome-o-metre.

The winners of this week’s movie tickets courtesy Genesis Cinemas will be announced in a few minutes on Twitter and Facebook, so make sure you follow me and tag a friend.

It’s almost weekend, so hang in there.

Piss out!

The Maveriq

Revue of GHOSTBUSTERS

Release Date: July 14, 2016

Genre: Sci-Fi/Paranormal

Directed By: Paul Feig

The reboot follows a similar plot to the previous movies where Manhattan is under attack from ghosts and it is up to a team of 4 paranormal aficionados (Leslie Jones, Melissa McCarthy, Kate Mckinnon and Kristen Wiig) and their ridiculously dumb sidekick to save the day.

We all know that Hollywood does some of these reboots is to milk some goodwill and nostalgia off the previous movie. This is because the kids that watched the movies at the time are now adults and will definitely want to relieve their childhood by buying tickets to see the reboot. I actually remember the day I watched Ghostbusters for the first time and it was at my cousins house (we didn’t have a VHS back then). I was awed by the laser zapping ghost catchers and their crazy devices. Fast forward some 30 odd years and a movie about some paranormal enthusiasts trying to catch ghosts doesn’t seem to appeal to me anymore. I am not sure if it’s because I am older now or that I am numb from way too many paranormal movies and TV series but from the moment I heard there was going to be a reboot, I was unenthusiastic…and my fears were confirmed when I saw it.

Ghostbusters seemed to lack the umph factor because it seemed to be begging for laughs and was at times just drifting around and in fact there was not enough ghost catching action scenes. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a totally bad movie because I think the cast made a decent movie out of it.

I have always said that I am an SNL fan and a movie with Kate McKinnon (who became my favorite SNL cast since the exit of Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig and Amy Phoeler) was always going to evoke some laughs. Leslie Jones who is always bragging about how tall and strong she is got to show us that she could also be funny on the big screen too. I am not sure why the internet trolls were all over her but my favorite part in the whole movie actually involved her performing an exorcism on Melissa by bitch slapping her while screaming “The Power of Patty compels you”. However, I am not sure what part Chris Hemsworth had to contribute to the movie because he was kind of humorless and his character could have been given to any other actor to the same effect.

Ghostbusters was a decent comedy but cameo appearances by some of the cast of the original films and the iconic Ghostbusters theme song and logo could not ignite the nostalgia in me and so Ghostbusters earns a 5.1/10 on my awesome-o-metre.

I am still giving out free tickets and if you want to see Ghostbusters (or any movie you like) leave a comment and your handle in the comment section below and the best comment wins the ticket for this week. I will be announcing the winner of the free ticket on Wednesday the 27th of July on the blog and on Twitter and Facebook, so make sure you follow me and tag a friend.

Have an awesome Monday!

The Maveriq

Revue of Me Before You

Release Date: June 2, 2016

Genre: Drama/Romance

Directed By: Thea Sharrock

Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke) is a caregiver in between jobs and lands a juicy job taking care of the affluent Will Traynor (Sam Claflin) a wealthy banker who was involved in an unfortunate accident that paralyzes him. Lou’s eccentric outlook to life is stretched by the sarcastic Will and an unusual relationship results that leaves an impression on both of them.

I must admit that I have not read the book from which it was adapted but what I will say is that it schools Fifty Shades of Grey in the genre of “Unusual Romance”. I am sure those who have read the book will be screaming blue murder as to how the movie did not do justice to the book but from what I watched, the movie was pretty decent.

The plot of the movie isn’t novel (Pun Intended) neither was the conflict resolution but what I think will appeal to many romantics is the journey to the resolution. The lead characters had chemistry which reverberates with the audience and I did hear a few sniffs in the cinema. Other than Emilia and Sam’s acting, what stood out for me was the soundtrack. Songs by the likes of Ed Sheeran and Jessie Ware gave the movie a really nice feel. I think I might just go get the soundtrack album and give it a listen.

I won’t say it’s the best romantic movie that I have seen as there were times when I almost dozed off to due to lack of activity but I guess that was an attempt to build on the story. However, it was a real tear jerker and deserves 6.9/10 on my awesome-o-metre.

Want to win a free ticket to go see Me Before You (or any movie you like) courtesy of my good friends at Genesis Cinemas? Leave a comment in the comment section below and the best comment wins the ticket for this week. I will be announcing the winner of the free ticket on Thursday the 22^nd of July on the blog and on Twitter and Facebook, so make sure you follow me and tag a friend.

Have a great midweek.

The Maveriq

Revue of The CEO

Release Date: July 15, 2016

Genre: Drama/Thriller

Directed By: Kunle Afolayan

The CEO of TransWire Communications a global telecoms network primarily based in Nigeria is retiring and to get a successor, he sends candidates from the regional offices in Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, Morocco and Nigeria to a boot camp/retreat at a resort in Nigeria where they will be subject to a series of trainings and musical chairs (literally) to determine who the next CEO will be. The retreat is facilitated by the mysterious “drill sergeant” Dr Zimmerman (Angelique Kidjo) and everything is going as planned… until bodies start popping up.

This movie is a classic whodunit movie and I can bet you that do not see what’s coming until it is upon you. You see ehn, I pride myself as one that is not easily deceived and I thought I had this one figured but they succeeded in throwing me off their scent and I just gave up trying to decipher the movie and just go with it. But I advise that you keep your eyes and ears open so that a seemingly irrelevant person or event doesn’t pass unnoticed and later have a significant role in the unraveling of the plot.

The casting was marvelous as ALL the actors were totally on point, most particularly Angelique Kidjo who was as mysterious as they come. I have always known that Wale Ojo was a superb actor but danm, he outdid himself this time, even old timer Hilda Dokubo was one big bully. The foreign actors like Fatym Layachi (Raggi) Niko Banagio (Rikard), Aurelie Eliam (Eloise) Peter King (Jomo) and Jimmy Jean-Louis) brought their A game and gave the movie a truly pan African touch. I like the way the candidates for the CEO position represent the diverse characters that you come across in the work place. There are the back stabbers and snitches, the kiss ass crew are there, the gullible and seemingly innocent ones are represented even the office asewo is represented.

Calling THE CEO a Pan African movie is actually underselling it and does little justice to what it actually is- a masterclass in hoodwinkery.That it was shot in various parts of Africa and France must not take away the fact that this is one of the best movies out of Nigeria you will ever see.

I noticed that Kunle Afolayan pulled off a Stan Lee-esque cameo appearance in the movie, but I don’t blame him, who won’t want to show himself in his own movies? Ehen, I noticed that Kunle has joined bad gang with people like Michael Bay to be doing subtle brand endorsement ba? I did notice the not-so-subtle nod towards the Peugeot and Air France brands.

It’s rare for me to speak in glowing terms about a movie but trust me when I say this is a darn good movie. Directing, Camera angles and most especially, the plot were top notch and I see a number of awards coming its way. Cast and Crew of The CEO, stand up and take a bow. You can see the trailer here .

I still have free tickets to give out to see THE CEO courtesy of my good friends at Genesis Cinemas. So if you wanna get it, leave a comment and your handle in the comment section below and the best comment wins my ticket for this week. I will be announcing the winner of the free ticket on Thursday the 21st of July on the blog and on Twitter and Facebook, so make sure you follow me and tag a friend.

This week promises to be a great one, so go out there and make it count.

The Maveriq

Revue of Ice Age: Collision Course

Release Date: July 22, 2016

Genre: Animation/Adventure

Directed By: Mike Thurmeier, Galen T. Chu

The herd is back and they are in big trouble because Scrat has set off a cosmic chain reaction that has sent a meteorite hurling on a collision course with earth which could ultimately wipe out all mammalkind. Everyone must overlook their differences, and stick together to survive this disaster of mammoth proportion.

I know that Manny and his family along with Diego and Sid are supposed to be the main characters of this film but I assure you I went there for one guy only…SCRAT! I am so glad that he had a very important role to play, considering he set off the chain reaction that threatened to kill all earth’s inhabitants. Chasing after his beloved acorn, he was his usual bumbling self but on a grander scale with even grander consequences; I kept waiting for him to make an appearance and each time he appeared, I laughed my butt off.

That being said, other than the scenes involving Scrat, the movie appeared to be struggling to get any real laughs. Other than the laughter Scrat, and Sid's granny (Wanda Sykes) brought, there were so many characters who were trying too hard to be funny and had no real impact in the movie and the introduction of too many new characters made it even worse.

The movie was made with kids being the primary demographic target, but the storyline which started off simple suddenly became a little too convoluted and lost the kids…well that is until Scrat arrives to save the day! Ice Age: Collision Course was kind of underwhelming for me and so it earns a 5.1/10 on my awesome-o-metre.

Want to win a free ticket to go see Ice Age: Collision Course courtesy of my good friends at Genesis Cinemas? Drop a comment in the comment section below and the best comment wins my ticket for this week. I will be announcing the winner of the free ticket on Thursday the 22^nd of July on the blog and on Twitter and Facebook, so make sure you follow me and tag a friend.

Piss out!

The Maveriq

Revue of the coldest Disney antagonists

Yesterday when we talked about the scariest horror film villains, it got me thinking that even Disney cartoons and animations have had some really bad guys. My favorite evil Disney character is Scar from the Lion King, that guy was cold as ice and even the innocence of young Simba wasn’t enough to deter him from killing his own brother just to ascend the throne. Remember when Simba Said, “Uncle Scar, you are so weird”? Remember what scar’s response was? He said “You have no idea”. That singular statement was filled with so much venom and despise.

To really appreciate the depth of his evil, listen to the lyrics of the song “be Prepared” as sung by him and hyenas - that song was laden with the most evil quips, and I think its a little too much for kids to appreciate.

I am curious to hear what you guys have to say, so leave a comment below and make sure you leave your handle so I can reach you if you win my free movie tickets. We can also relate on Twitter and Facebook.

I am really glad that you dropped in to my blog, do come back every day for new stuff okay. I am hopefully gonna see The CEO and Ice Age, so that revue will be up as soon as I see them.

Have yourself an awesome weekend!

The Maveriq.

Revue of the Meanest Villains...Ever!

One of my followers sent me this image of some of the best (meanest) villains of ALL times. He asked me which was my best (or worst)? I looked and couldn’t make up my mind, I mean Pinhead (Hell Raiser) scared the crap out of me and since Chucky I have never looked at dolls the same way. But then again Freddy Krueger ensured that the idea of sleeping alone was banished from my mind for a very loooong time.

On the local scene, there was this “Ogbanje” drama that was shown on TV that made me want to s**t myself, I can’t even remember the name of the show sef. How can I forget the legendary Willi Willi?

So who is your scariest villain? Let me know in the comment section below and make sure you drop your handle cos I am giving out free movie tickets to go see Conjuring 2…or any movie you wanna see.

Revue of NORTH EAST

Release Date: June 24, 2016

Genre: Drama/Romance

Directed By: Muyiwa Aluko

Hadiza (Ini Dima-Okojie) is an architect from a Muslim conservative home from the northern part of Nigeria is involved in an accident while on a site and is rushed to a hospital where Emeka (OC Ukeje) is a resident physiotherapist. While in the hospital, they forge a friendship which blossoms into a romantic relationship but forces (from within and without) are bent on keeping them apart.

I won’t lie, but when I saw the précis of this movie, I truly expected a clichéd story of how a Muslim girl from the North cannot be in a relationship with an Igbo boy from the south…but I was wrong. The plot of the movie totally flipped in a direction I did not expect, don’t worry I won’t spoil it for you, go see it yourself.

Not to undermine the acting talent of Ini and OC, but my favorite character was Alh. Ahmed Musa (Gbenga Titiloye) Hadiza’s father. He was the quintessential hausa father figure and his interpretation of his role was spot on - he conveyed that hausa boys/men are also as smooth and charming. Ini did a great job as her Hausa lines (though not so smooth) were well rehearsed and delivered, although I did notice that after a while her accent disappeared. LOL. Even Funky Mallam for once, looked serious… but not for long.

I think Nollywood is getting better at telling love stories and it’s obvious from our movies that a lot of thought and resources is being put into our production. I think it’s about time Nollywood starts truly ruling the African movie scene with quality production. You can watch the trailer on YouTube here.

Wanna win a free ticket to see this movie courtesy Genesis Cinemas? Leave a comment in the comment section below and also leave your social media details so I can reach you when you win your ticket. Check the blog on Thursday or stay in touch on Twitter and Facebookto find out if you win! That simple!

Ciao!

The Maveriq

Revue of THE LEGEND OF TARZAN

Release Date: July 1, 2016

Genre: Adventure/Fantasy

Directed By: David Yates

10 Years after leaving the jungle and settling into life in England with his wife Jane (Margot Robbie), John Clayton III aka Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) is conned by Leon (Christoph Waltz) to return to the Congo where Jane is kidnapped and Tarzan faces an old foe.

There are quite a number of movies out there that need a remake, unfortunately, this is not one of those movies. We have all known for quite a while now that Hollywood has run out of ideas and are now milking old classics simply because we have better CGI now. The story of Tarzan is not one that needs to be retold, honestly for me, the best adaptation of the Tarzan is George Of The Jungle that starred Brendan Fraser, every other one has been underwhelming.

Frankly, I am unconvinced by Skarsgård’s depiction of Tarzan, he seemed a little out of place and uninterested in the role. Sure, he pulled off the Tarzan look but, a good actor, abs does not make- although the ladies at the cinema seemed to be enjoying the view.

There were no memorable scenes in the movie and the only scene that impressed me was the fight scene between Tarzan and a Gorilla (screen grabbed below).

Just as I expected, Tarzan did not get swinging and was just a visual effects extravaganza with no real aim and as such The Legend Of Tarzan earns a 5.1/10 rating on my awesome-o-metre.

Want to win a free ticket to go see Tarzan courtesy my good friends at Genesis Cinemas? Drop a comment in the comment section below and the best comment wins my ticket for this week. Don't forget to include your social media handle so I can reach you with your ticket. I will be announcing the winner on Thursday the 15^th of July on the blog and on Twitter and Facebook, so make sure you follow us and tag a friend.

Have an awesome week.

The Maveriq

Revue of FINDING DORY

Release Date: June 8, 2016

Genre: Animated/Adventure

Directed By: Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane

Ellen DeGeneres voices the title character of Dory, an adorable fish who suffers from short term memory loss. Sadly, Dory cannot recall who she is or where she comes from but suddenly she begins to have flashes of her past which leads her on an adventure with her friends Marlin and Nemo to find her parents.

I assure you that this is one of the best animated films you will see in a long time, the story line was deep and thought provoking. I know I promised myself I will not cry in the cinema…again, but a story about kids with neurological disabilities (like autism) and the impact of such disabilities on the kids and their parents is one that makes me all schmaltzy. Maybe when you see it you will understand what I mean.

The voice characters (especially Ellen) did a great job making Dory and the other characters very relatable. Personally, I liked Hank the grouchy Octopus voiced by Ed O'Neill who turned out to be a sweet soul.

I am pretty sure everyone in their life time has met a “Dory” and this film kinda brings a fresh perspective to the challenges faced by these special people and their family. Another issue which was subliminally interwoven into the story, was that of sea pollution. The scene where Dory was caught in a six pack case really made me sad and got me thinking.

You don’t need to have seen Finding Nemo to follow Finding Dory because this story can actually stand on its own.

The relatable story line and smooth animation earns Finding Dory 7.7/10 on my awesome-o-meter so make sure you take the kids to see it.

Keep in touch on Twitter and Facebookto find out how to win free tickets to see any movie of your choice.

Have a great weekend!

The Maveriq

Revue of Gidi Blues

Genre: Romance/Drama

Directed By: Femi Odugbemi

Gidi Blues is a romantic drama about Akin (Gideon Okeke) a quintessential Lagos playboy and Nkem (Hauwa Allahbura) a beautiful and conservative girl whose world collide when they happen on a chance meeting in the market place in the title location of Lagos (aka Gidi).

This is one of the most beautifully told stories by Nollywood that I have ever seen. It was exquisitely told in a simple manner with heavy reliance on cinematic shots and angles. I have to commend the producers on their extensive visual expressions of the city in its various elements like the scenes in affluent locations as well those shot in the slums. The aerial shots of the city (with the drone) was magnificent.

The cast did a great job as every one of the actors interpreted their roles with finesse and professionalism. Even Lepasious Bose (Simbi) did a great job as Nkem’s sidekick. Bukky Wright (Akin’s mother), shows us why she is a veteran in the industry and make sure to look out for music cameo appearances by Banky W and Aduke.

Unlike many Nollywood productions, the conflict resolution was quite decent. There were a few attempts to throw the audience off track but me and my eagle (evil) eye, I was still able to spot it. Like for example, that Carmen chick (Nancy Isime) did not fool me one bit, I could see through her like a ghost. Err, Nancy, if you are reading this, call me *wink*.

For once, I will not complain about the sound engineering in a Nollywood feature film because it was crisp and clear. The camera angles (especially the aerial shots) were quite breathtaking.

If like me you are reluctant to go to the cinema to see a Nollywood production, take it from me that you can take your girl to go see Gidi Blues. Trust me, you won’t regret it and your gurl will be really appreciate it.

You can watch the trailer on YouTube by clicking here and feel free to holla at me on Twitter and Facebook

Have fun!

The Maveriq

Revue of The Nice Guys

Release Date: May 20, 2016

Genre: Action/Comedy

Directed By: Shane Black

Set in Los Angeles in 1977, Russell Crowe (Jackson Healy) an Enforcer and Ryan Gosling (Holland March) a Private Investigator who are thrown together by fate to investigate the alleged murder of a porn star named Misty Mountains. In the course of their investigation, they discover that Misty may be collateral damage in an intricate plot involving another missing girl name Amelia. What starts as an open and shut case escalates with corpses turning up everywhere and with a bit of a political undertone.

Maybe it’s because I am a sucker for retro movies or that i was just intrigued with the unlikely pairing of Russell and Ryan, but I did enjoy this movie. It starts off as a zany buddy comedy and then delves into the budding pornography industry of the late 70's and ends as a whodunit title with some political flavor. It has been a while I saw a good comedy with a tinge of mystery, so this was a welcome relief from the crappy stuff I have been seeing lately.

As with many movies these days, I did envisage the conflict resolution but what I did find pleasurable was how they went about it. I am not going to spill the beans but I will recommend you go see it, trust me it’s a lot of fun.

The Nice Guys was a pretty nice movie and earns 6.3/10 on my awesome-o-meter and makes for good entertainment.

Barka Da Sallah.

The Maveriq

Revue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows

Release Date: June 3, 2016

Genre: Action/Comedy

Directed By: Dave Green

With the help of a mad scientist called Baxter (Tyler Perry) Shredder escapes from custody and is transported to an alternate dimension where he joins forces with Krang in a bid to take over the world. Meanwhile, Baxter intends to use his anatomy altering serum for world domination and in the process creates Bebop and Rocksteady. Our Pizza loving Turtles have to reveal themselves to the world and try to stop the villains, but is the world ready to accept them?

You know what? I think I preferred this second one to the first one. Unfortunately, I am not on the bandwagon of the wailers who are complaining that Michael Bay and the likes are destroying our childhood movies (like Transformers) one at a time. This second part seems more in sync with the cartoon because I feel the producers decided to ditch the dark and dreary air of the first installment and make it more lively and exciting or Michael Bay may have had a lesser influence on this installment. Unlike the first part which had just the elevator scene as the only memorable scene, there were more exciting scenes and the daft pair of Bebop and Rocksteady made for another comedic dimension.

Since I was a kid, I have always wanted to ask why the Ninja Turtles have that bandana over their eyes. Is it disguise or they want distinguish themselves from the other turtles walking around the New York City? Funny thing though, I did find the turtles quite unnerving when I saw the first movie. I think it was easier to appreciate them as animated characters than living beings. Talking about unnerving, am I the only one that feels that Krang, Belial from Basket Case and Kuatofrom Total Recall must have the same parents?

L-R Kuato, Belial and Krang

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows, was a tad better than the first and earns 6.1/10 on my awesome-o-meter. It makes for good fun to see at the cinema this sallah holiday.

Thanks for always dropping in on my blog, I am humbled by the feedback I get on Twitter and Facebook. Not to worry, ardent visitors will be rewarded with free movie tickets every week from August 2016.

Piss out!

The Maveriq

Revue of Independence Day: Resurgence

Initial Release Date: June 24, 2016

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action/Fantasy

Directed By: Roland Emmerich

20 Years after the release of the iconic movie Independence Day, Roland Emmerich returns with a sequel, but this time there is no Will Smith.

As Independence Day approaches, the world is threatened by yet another alien invasion by the same aliens who apparently didn’t learn their lessons the first time. However, in the intervening 20 years since the last invasion, the humans have exploited the alien technology acquired to improve our own arsenal, but then so have the aliens. The humans rely on an elite team of pilots including Liam Hemsworth (Jake), and Jesse Usher (Will Smith’s Character’s Son) to save the world.

Let me ask a question; what made Independence Day one of the best movies of 1996 and one of the best alien movies of all times? Was it the visual effects, the plot or the characters? As a matter of fact, it was all of the three. So which of these three recurred in this sequel? Expectedly, the CGI was absolutely splendid, but that was basically all that was great in the movie. I boldly state that the charisma and wit of Will Smith in the first installment made it one of the redefining movies of that genre. However, even with the injection of the old timers like Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum and Vivica Fox and my favorite mad scientist (Dr Okun), the movie lacked any real character or depth.

The movie did take its time before it got going and I must say that the plot leaves much to be desired and the characters lacked any real charisma and were very forgettable. I asked myself if Will Smith could have made it any better, but my conclusion is that no one could have saved this movie. Truthfully, the only fun part for me was the battle with the queen of the alien hive; that scene was really exciting and the splendid CGI made it really immersive.

Unfortunately, Independence Day, to me was more like Independence Nay and earns 5.7/10 on my awesome-o-meter. I do hope that they don’t do another installment because this was a steep fall from the standard set by the first one. But then, I think it will make for a good TV series.

The aliens and the humans had 20 years to prepare, but from the lack of depth of this movie, I think the producers had only 2 weeks to come up with this. You don’t agree with me, feel free to drop in a word on Twitter or on Facebook

In other news, the free tickets I promised I was gonna give out are coming real soon. Stay tuned for how to win yourself a free ticket.

Piss out!

The Maveriq

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