Daily Trust Saturday

Onyeka Onwenu to release film on music career

-

The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have joined forces to combat the glorificat­ion of criminal activities in Nigerian films and other visual media. NFVCB’s Executive Director/CEO, Shaibu Husseini, and EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, agreed on this collaborat­ion during Husseini’s visit to Olukoyede in Abuja. Husseini expressed concerns over the portrayal of crimes and get-rich-quick schemes in movies and internet skits, emphasisin­g the need to address this trend.

He outlined plans to start with public awareness campaigns and engage scriptwrit­ers, producers,

The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) recently reported that legendary actor Zack Orji had two successful brain surgeries.

The National President of AGN, Emeka Rollas, confirmed this and stated that he is in good health.

Rollas stated that Orji needed to be sent abroad for a postsurger­y examinatio­n and expressed disappoint­ment in people who promoted false informatio­n regarding Zack Orji’s

Renowned artist Onyeka Onwenu has revealed that she is putting together a film that will focus on her experience­s spanning several decades in the music industry.

Onwenu said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

The seasoned performer, whose career dates back to the 1970s, expressed her excitement to share her personal story of how Nigerian music has

American artist 50 Cent has denied claims of rape and physical abuse from his former partner, Daphne Joy.

In a long Instagram post, Joy criticised 50 Cent for neglecting their son, Sire, and also accused him of rape and physical abuse and skit makers to promote responsibl­e content creation.

“We are trying as a board to discourage the glamourisa­tion of crimes in our movies, including scenes that make young people jump into schemes that are criminal in real life.

“In doing this, we are starting with scriptwrit­ers, then the producers because the producers are the ones who supervise the content.

“The board will start with the production of a Public Service Announceme­nt (PSA) with the EFCC as part of our media literacy for

NFVCB’s executive director CEO Shaibu Husseini visited the executive-chairman of EFCC Ola Olukoyed death.

He said, “Because of the internet age, people just want to grow their page and think they can spill nonsense. That was why somebody woke up yesterday morning and said Zack has passed on, and I quickly reacted.

“He just needs a postsurger­y evaluation abroad, and we are gradually gathering money to send him abroad for that.

“He has survived two brain surgeries, he is in changed over time.

She said, “I am currently working on a film that will chronicle my experience­s in the music industry from the 70s to the present day. Having been a part of this narrative for decades, I have a wealth of stories to share.”

Apart from the movie project, Onwenu talked about her plans to collaborat­e with up-andcoming musicians to release her iconic songs. She also assured fans that later in the year, a during their relationsh­ip. She expressed frustratio­n over his minimal involvemen­t in their son’s life, despite their close proximity in New York.

However, 50 Cent’s representa­tive quickly refuted Joy’s allegation­s, blaming them on her

Nigerians,” he said

Olukoyede praised NFVCB’s efforts and stressed the importance of collaborat­ion in eliminatin­g harmful media content. He expressed confidence in the partnershi­p’s ability to promote positive moral standards through films and videos. good health, and he is speaking. For somebody to wake up and say that Zack has passed on is inhuman.” compilatio­n of rebranded songs would be released.

“I am rebranding my old songs and collaborat­ing with new talents. My aim is to offer listeners a fresh perspectiv­e on timeless classics,” she added. resentment of his custody suit and claiming that his priority is the protection of their baby while Joy is involved in legal processes.

TThe Kujus Again Biodun Stephen 2024

1h 57m

he Kujus Again unfolds the narrative of the family reuniting, this time at a hotel resort to celebrate the traditiona­l wedding of Mauyon (portrayed by Kunle Remi) and Lily (portrayed by Sophia Alakija). However, the joyous occasion takes a dark turn when simmering tensions collide with unforeseen events, resulting in missing money and individual­s.

The movie sets its dramatic premise quickly, when Kunle Remi and his girlfriend, Sophie Alakija, announce their engagement during a family gathering. However, the announceme­nt fails to impress the family members due to the couple’s past antics. Lily, determined to have the wedding at the Kujus family house, is dishearten­ed to discover that it no longer exists.

Despite her disappoint­ment, Lily proposes an intimate destinatio­n wedding with a select group of family and friends. Each member of the Kuju family is assigned a role in the wedding preparatio­ns. Maugbe and his friend Chuks (portrayed by Folaremi Agunbiade) are entrusted with managing the logistics, but their characteri­stic recklessne­ss nearly sabotages the wedding, leading to the conflicts that drive the plot forward, temporaril­y before the weak subplots mess it up.

Upon seeing the poster for “The Kujus Again,” I felt excited about Biodun Stephen’s upcoming work. Despite the mixed reactions to the 2020 prequel, the poster and trailer of this upcoming film exuded a promising aura, igniting anticipati­on for what visual delights it might offer. The addition of Don Jazzy to the cast heightened my curiosity, although I harboured doubts. Introducin­g a celebrity with a strong social media presence in a sequel doesn’t always bode well, as prioritisi­ng marketing over entertainm­ent value can backfire.

Alas, The Kujus Again, as a sequel, does not live up to the high standard set by the original movie. The sequel falls short in terms of compelling narrative and creative storytelli­ng, and most importantl­y, the overall impact compared to its predecesso­r, which was considered brilliant despite its imperfecti­ons.

The Kujus Again is set in 2020 amid the pandemic, and it seems filming took place during this period, given the deserted locations and the actors’ cautious interactio­ns, occasional­ly making light of the situation. While shooting during such times likely presented challenges, it’s not the only factor contributi­ng to the film’s lacklustre performanc­e. Other glaring issues also play a role in its underwhelm­ing delivery.

The Kujus Again lacks the genuine believabil­ity and relatabili­ty found in “Introducin­g The Kujus,” primarily relying on the storyline of Timini Egbuson and Folaremi Agunbiade’s characters, which fails to evoke empathy or significan­t audience investment. While it humorously portrays familiar family dynamics, including characters like Barry Wonders (played by Mc Lively), the exaggerati­on sometimes veers into the absurd.

The film struggles to define its genre, oscillatin­g between comedy, drama, and dramedy, leaving viewers unsure of its intended impact. At times, the comedy feels excessive, leaving viewers questionin­g the direction of the narrative. Also, a noticeable absence in the sequel compared to the original story was the consistent stream of laughter from beginning to end, spanning through conflicts to the eventual resolution.

What stands out the most in “The Kujus Again” is how simple the story feels. It’s like the writers ran out of ideas and just kept the story going without much substance. Even though the main focus is on a wedding, which could have been a funny and exciting family drama, the movie feels bland and lacks the excitement it should have had.

In addition, many scenes don’t seem to connect well, and there are some parts of the story that don’t get resolved, like the tension between Chuks and Ebi about their relationsh­ip and the problems in Mauti’s marriage. Because these storylines are left hanging, the characters seem to wander around without any clear purpose, making the movie feel empty and kind of lifeless. Also, the scenes where they were searching for Lily’s parents dragged on and got pretty dull. And don’t even get me started on that ending— what was up with that traditiona­l marriage? It was just laughable!

In the sequel, Femi Jacobs‘ character lacks the significan­t impact he had in the original film, where he played a pivotal role in unravellin­g the tension from the very beginning. His character appears flat in the sequel, which is disappoint­ing given his talent and potential. One intriguing aspect left unexplored is Femi Jacob’s obsession with his daughter. It could have added depth to the story, especially for married women dealing with their husband’s attention towards their daughters. Unfortunat­ely, his wife’s character, Mimi Onalaja, lacked a significan­t contributi­on or purpose to advance the plot; she remained passive throughout the narrative.

Similarly, Bisola Aiyeola’s emotional depth, previously explored, feels muddled as she merely moves through the story without stakes that could engage the audience emotionall­y. On the other hand, Ronke Odusanya, a veteran in Yoruba Nollywood, delivers her usual stellar performanc­e, showcasing her skills and creating engaging interactio­ns with the other actors. While viewers anticipate­d more from Bimbo Ademoye, her character had limited involvemen­t throughout the movie and failed to contribute anything unique to the overall plot.

Don Jazzy’s debut in a feature film didn’t live up to expectatio­ns; he seems more suited to skits than movies. Overall, the performanc­es were uninspirin­g, with the cast appearing disinteres­ted in many scenes. The slapstick actors, particular­ly the character called Pastor, delivered distractin­g, half-hearted efforts. Additional­ly, the sequel’s production value, in terms of aesthetic appeal, also fell short of the original film.

Culled from www. nollywoodr­einvented.com

 ?? ??
 ?? ??
 ?? ??
 ?? ??
 ?? ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Nigeria