NR’s Top 5 Most Anticipated Movies of 2013

THE following list is in descending order of subjective information. This year there have been a million and one filmmakers who have decided to continue the business as usual route and completely refuse to acknowledge that it’s time to change the perception the world has of Nollywood. These filmmakers have propagated the stereotype whilst others have gone above and beyond to find ways of making even more ridiculous movies.

On the other hand, there are filmmakers who are a class of their own. In this class, the names of the filmmakers alone hold separate repute. Reliance on actor fame, safe storylines and excessive hyperbole in the name of PR is unnecessary for them. The following list includes a few of these filmmakers, whilst the other movies are ones that have succeeded in making themselves standout.

All of the following movies have been nominated for “Most Anticipated Movie” for #NRAwards2013:

5. BLOOD IN THE LAGOON: 

“Blood in the Lagoon” is an upcoming movie by renowned Nollywood veteran filmmaker “Teco Benson”. It tells the story of a young boy, from the devastatingly poor fishing slums of Lagos who is determined to pursue the dreams of his brother who is murdered.

The movie stars Omotola J. Ekehinde, Ufuoma Ejenobor, Hakeem Rahman and Akin Lewis amongst many others. Read about it HERE

4. HALF OF A YELLOW SUN:

It would be near impossible to count how many people have been waiting for this to happen, but finally this year the Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie classic was turned into film by Andrea Calderwood. We still don’t know whether to call the movie Nollywood or not but that’s an argument for another day.

The movie weaves together the lives of four people swept up together during a turbulent war. It stars UK’s Chiwetel Ejiofor and America’s Anika Noni-Rose in pivotal roles.

It also stars some Nigerians like Zack Orji, Onyeka Onwenu, Genevieve Nnaji and Gloria Young. Read about it HERE

3. OCTOBER 1:

When we think of the first few Nollywood movies that gave us any kind of hope, one can not possibly remove Kunle Afolayan’s “The Figurine” from that list. In fact, regardless of the fact that it was a 2008 movie it still tops the chart on NR today as the highest rated movie according to the viewers. It is for this reason and many similar reasons that the world watches (well, the part that watches Nollywood movies at least) whatever Mr. Afolayan delivers to us.

October 1st is another upcoming movie by Kunle Afolayan with a historical angle. It follows the plight of a police officer near the dawn of independence as he struggles to solve a case before October 1st.

The movie stars Sadiq Darba, Kehinde Bankole, Fabian Olojede and many others. Read more about it HERE

2. DAZZLING MIRAGE

His name rings a bell and for some he is already a living legend. Dazzling Mirage is an upcoming movie from the beautiful mind that gave us “Maami“. The movie, like “Half of a Yellow Sun” is also based on a book. The story revolves around a female sickle cell carrier who suffers from the streaming crises that flow ceaselessly into her life as a result of her genes.

It stars Kunle Afolayan, Kemi Lala Akindoju, Taiwo Ajai Lycett, Yomi Fash Lanso, Bimbo Manuel, Ayo Badmus, and Tosin Bucknor. Read more about it HERE

1. ’76

Izu Ojukwu has gradually becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Nigerian film industry, all due to his own merit. It is for this reason that his upcoming movie ’76 (earlier titled “Lions of 76” is top on my list of anticipated movies.

76 is a military biopic centered around the happenings after the 1976 coup. The movie stars Chidi Mokeme, Ramsey Nouah, Rita Dominic and Ibinabo Fiberisima amongst many others. Read more about it HERE