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Happiness Is a Four-Letter Word (2016)
Strong and bold romantic story with it's own legs to stand.
Based on a fiction book of the same name by South African writer Cynthia Jele, Happiness is A Four Letter Word the movie follows the semi high profile lives of 3 suburban women living in a finer lap of luxury with a screaming social class. It employs a revolutionary use of camera-work and swanks sensible and mature subjects. The outstanding discipline the entire cast possessed with one another is praiseworthy. he narrative hosts a fertile and a neatly woven storyline pinned on healthy-minded characters with an added touch of sentimental romantic studies. The context of love was not to be misinterpreted as it had different meanings for the lives of our key characters. The use of a white color composition represented purity but most importantly, a new beginning. The art direction flowed seamless with a visual appeal and saturated chroma and style. Key plots were clearly explained by the characters in question through the most effective methodology: dialogue.
It's calming knowledge to know that no over-the-top and insensible plotting were explored. The gel between the girlfriends was a magical one. They looked like real best friends doing a reality TV show with quick cuts cues.
The production was sparkly like a bottle of good wine with various location shoots because Sandton City glitters like the gold it shelters. The characters gave out a complete performance with an energetic and easy to follow story chaperoned by a rhapsody of deep meaningful scores. Male director Thabang Moleya took a risk to direct a women, but fortunately everything went well. Commercially the movie wouldn't make sense if Khanyi Mbau didn't cover the narration of the themes. Khanyi is a real life self acclaimed Queen of Bling and did her on screen rendition with such prowess and finesse. She has better success outside the screen than her character friends. Her emotional range is like a rubber band that plays on the viewer's emotional intelligence. Khanyi's like a selling diamond hidden under layers of rock and dirt. The dramedy has a special, unique and cute moment that make most films what they are: a tease African dance shared between Thomas and Nandi, and the obsession of Merlot and avocado trees.
The ending is not necessarily a happy one. But each person learns something valuable.
Ayanda and the Mechanic (2015)
More Than It Seems...
(Ayanda) is a coming-of-age youth film covered in an industrial look and feel deep inside bustling parts of Johannesburg. Ayanda is a hippie girl who has been keeping his deceased father's spirit alive by running a motor spares garage. Her casual boyfriend David,works with them on a team of three employees together with Zoum.
It is an inspirational film from a women who have taken the ropes in their own hands and allowed themselves to dream. Since her father died in a unconventional heavy machinery accident, Ayanda picked up the pieces to head up the garage. Perhaps to keep him alive in some ways.
There is a special character in this film who is doing a project on the ordinary lives of individuals living around Yeoville. Through him we learn about the character's motivation and it also simplifies the story for us. He's like a visible narrator who speaks through the characters.
The women in the film are all trying to get ahead in life, but most have settled for an average outlook. Ayanda's mother Dorothy works in a Laundromat and is another distressed dream killer. She fails to recognize her daughter's enduring ability to preserve her father's legacy with a mechanic job stereo-typically suited for men.
It is when Ayanda's 'uncle', Zama, declares that the garage is at a financial destitute that we get to see what this 21 year-old girl is made of. She'll do everything to keep it running because she obsessed with it more especially her inherited old car which gives her hope.
Ayanda's non-criminal approach on pursuing her dreams is noteworthy. She could have fought fire with fire but she chose not to. She is fierce but also selfish. Blinded by her desire to win. To keep the garage. At most cost.
Zama won't back down easily and tries to get Ayanda to back out of the business by staging a robbery, although no one suspects him. But in the end Zama resorts to accepting his fate to give Ayanda what she worked hard for.
Loss is a theme in the film. The old lady dies and they offer Ayanda her clothes. Something that is personal like the car. The conversation Ayanda had with her little cousin was crucial. She explained that she doesn't miss her late father and implied that he was 'with her all the time'. This had a deeper meaning. It's a reflection. Ayanda sees herself in this girl who's also dealing with a loss of a parent at a young age.
Another one is opportunity. Immigration is a fundamental topic in the story. David got awarded a bursary to study a Human Rights degree at Wits which some may argue belonged to South Africans. Ayanda's uncle mocks Lenaka at the gathering about his level of education. Flaunting that his children went to university whereas Lenaka and his sister have not.
Dorothy finally has the opportunity to let go of her past by getting rid of the business which has been a painful reminder to her. Even though it's really Zama who's pulling the strings. She can afford to buy the house with the sale of the garage and give her children a place to stay.
Family is another one. Zoum is a committed father and tries to keep up with the demands of his families needs. His wife also chases after him from time to time. But he sacrifices his family time to help Ayanda. He could have been a stay-at-home dad as his wife was expecting again. When the old lady dies, her daughter prefers to keep the funeral in the family with no outsiders. Call it a way to grieve.
Immigration. The film maker who uses a digital camera and a tripod must be an immigrant who is taking an opportunity by starting a project to tell of diverse lives of the people of Yeoville as far as Ayanda and the garage is concerned. David and his brother ran away from Nigeria to start a life this side. His brother makes a living by dealing unlawfully. But David is one of the good ones. Often reminded of what his brothers and sisters are getting up to in the streets.
Loyalty. Zama wasn't loyal to the family but he had a change of heart. Ayanda's loan shark agent friend had to look out for her by advising her not to take up the ridiculously high interest rate loan. David's brother failed him when they immigrated to Southern Africa. Zama's apartheid friend disappeared with his money and put him in trouble.
Commitment. Ayanda was committed to keeping the garage open at all cost. She wanted the same sentiment from Zoum. Dorothy was committed more than ever to raising her children after her husband died. She had to fully assume and establish the role of motherhood and forget about dreaming. She went through a traumatic experience and kept unresolved resentment following Moses' death. She did bookkeeping for him and they were always together. She was his guardian angel up until that day they had an argument about Zama and he ended up with a car body on top of him which is a rare mistake to make in the motor industry. But because he was 'distracted' it happened. The most important theme of all is sacrifice. Zama sacrifices his freedom and surrenders to the authorities. Ayanda sacrifices her beloved inheritance so she can get her lover back from police custody. Dorothy wants to sacrifice the garage so she could keep her sanity.
David sacrifices his studies in a foreign country so he could help Ayanda. The argument scene must have been a vital plot. David had to lose his morals (human wrongs) to achieve this. He participated in aiding the garage by procuring stolen parts.
The cop sacrifices his commendable service job to get the car of his dreams.
The Wedding Ringer (2015)
Brilliant trailer but the full blown clip really disappoints.
Seeing that the trailer was wonderfully made and Kevin Hart and his chocolate skin promised to deliver, the movie was disappointing to go watch at the cinema. It's just an average movie. Does not deserve a theatrical release. I watched this flick out of respect for Kevin Hart and his brilliant stand-up comedy and his sharp speed commentary. It is obvious that there were issues in the script department and the worst and uncooked draft made the cut. The only two characters which made any sense were KH himself and Doug Harris probably because of their experience in comedy. Another funny man Cory Holcomb seemed absent during the whole movie. He was just there to fill up the cast. Affion Crockett too. Their characters really needed an face lift. When they get busted on their fake identities at the wedding, their responses were so stupid and unimpressive. Gretchen's excuse for not being in love with the fat guy felt weak and not powerful as it should be. The bachelor party was really unnecessary and wasted screen time that should have been invested somewhere else. The peanut butter-dog plot angered me!! How lazy could these writers get??
It was stupid and the police car chase was not meant for this movie. Jimmy and Doug Harris tried their best to save this movie but several characters sunk it. It seems like the wheelchair plot was only made to have the groom guy run at the wedding. ANOTHER FAIL. It has been overused. And the part of the bride requesting a song that she and her ex listened to during their love making session was executed badly! And it doesn't end there, Doug agrees....??!! Are you kidding me?
During lunch at Gretchen's house, Jimmy could have used something else to stop Doug from confessing and getting granma on fire...weakest plot. Ride Along was actually a movie of substance and out of respect for Kevin Hart I'll just stop my lashing here.
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Adapted Erotic Stimulater.
14 February, Newtown Junction, Johannesburg - the cinema was at maximum capacity. The turn up for this movie was out of this world. World record breaking cinema attendance.
It was a good erotic story. Well timed and the plot was well managed. I personally enjoyed the movie maybe because I never read the book.
Women starting losing it when the billionaire Christian Grey filled the screen at his office rocking a black suit but I later heard that he did not match the description from the book. Maybe Wentworth Miller would have done a splendid job with his huge sense of seductive charm. Voice. Aura. Facial expressions and so forth. But Jamie's appeal was more than enough.
The story was excellent and did cater for an intelligent audience. Women became bitter by the ending but I was only there for the ride. Maybe, if we could have it our way, have Tyler Perry write the screenplay. Yes explicitness is not his area but he would have worked around it.
Anastasia wasn't your Halle Berry hot but she killed it. Guess Hollywood are giving average looking females a chance. And I also guess casting a really attractive woman would be typical. Anastasia was just a student. And a virgin.
Some speculate that Ian Somerhalder would have been perfect as well or Jonathan Rhys Meyers but it doesn't matter now. The movie was shot down and killed.
I really believed that Christian was a billionaire because of the words that were coming out of his mouth. And his level of humility. He wasn't rude or trying to be an @ss. And neither did he avoid being one.
On the erotic part...Basic Instinct and Monster's Ball did it better.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Former superhero actor stages a comeback in entertainment by doing a Broadway show
From the trailer I already knew what Birdman had in store for me. And I was not surprised by the many writers of this film. It was way too complex for one writer to produce such an exceptionally well written screenplay.
Riggan Thomson has now become an irrelevant celebrity in entertainment who is haunted by his past - a fictional superhero character he used to portray in blockbuster movies which was disenfranchised more than 20 years ago.
Riggan only wants to revive his career but has to juggle between his drug addict daughter who's been in and out of rehab, his flopping career, the mother of his daughter, a acclaimed New York Time critic who is determined to bring him down, a master plan involving him successfully staging a comeback, a fictional character that torments him by relentlessly begging him to do another sequel of Birdman, and his much younger girlfriend whom he does not seem to love. The story also touches on current industry affairs which makes it even more relevant than it should be; where Riggan and his girlfriend Laura dreading parenthood because they think it would have resulted in them having an offspring like Justin Beiber. This was cute.
In the movie, Riggan still thinks he is Birdman (his alter ego) and hallucinates most of the time. He still thinks he has supernatural abilities to move or break objects without making physical contact with them. It would be wrong ignore the remarkable use of using one single/fluid/continuous/constant streaming/lingering shot in the movie which who make it less editable. But the shots where the screen goes dark at the bar or theater hallways those were actually the 'cuts' or 'edits' of the movie that just needed visual literacy to understand. They were nothing but a combination of extremely long takes that are seamlessly stitched together through editing trickery. Birdman will change how we look at cinema for good with this breakthrough visual style. It had complex steady cam/hand-held camera sweeping the maze-like setting and resting on pans and pauses. The shots had no joints whatsoever.
Michael gave a glorious performance both in the movie (as Riggan) and the character he played on stage.
It has been a delight to watch such a movie on the big screen. Most of the movie time does not stop as they employed the longest takes since Gravity starring Sandra Bullock. The camera work was unusual and previously unemployed by similar mainstream flicks.
Edward Norton was a great sidekick. He played a thespian who came in as a replacement, who was obsessed with realism over professionalism. Birdman was made to stand out and never to be too generic or too obvious. It studied the psychological profile and inside lives of it's characters. It is not a structured superhero vs villain typical movie, but about a once respected showman who wants to relive his glory days and get back the respect that used to fill his heart.
The drums/percussion/jazz played by the solo were deserving. They were special. The film has a deeper meaning than the eyes can explain. It draws the viewer into the lives of actors and their world. From the trailer one could easily see that it is not your typical superhero movie.
Michael Keaton gave a once in a lifetime, magnificent, heartbreaking, honest and sincere performance of his entire career. One that cannot be forgotten. The actors never missed any beats or paused for anybody. The dialogue was on fire, it has no defects or flaws even when it is accelerated by the actors. In reality Michael Keaton has three lives, one as the real Michael Keaton who was dumped by Hollywood, the other as Riggan Thomson who is working on a comeback in showbiz and the other as Birdman, a fictional and disenfranchised superhero who used to save human lives in blockbuster movies.
The most deep rooted scene was when Riggan lies to Mike (the replacement) about his father abusing him as a child. The part where he was wrestling a break down traumatic/excellent to watch.
I was looking for dull moments so I could blink or mind my drink but they were absent. I was mesmerized by the scale of unrelenting skill and talent used by all the actors in this film. There are speculations about the ending where some people believe that Sam witnessed his father achieve flight on the hospital ledge but others believe that she was also hallucinating or that she saw a meteor. Like the movie Enemy where Jake Gyllenhaal's wife transforms into a giant tarantula at the end.
I don't think Riggan died from the leap because Sam would have seen him lying on the floor. And I also do not believe that Riggan killed himself on opening night and gave us images from his afterlife solely because he wouldn't have placed his tormentor - Birdman, in the hospital bathroom to bother him again.
Hard to Get (2014)
Sassy film about Charmer Boy meets Femme Fatale
We have seen a boom in the South African film industry and the standards have been really set high. Our local filmmakers are getting mean this time around.
We went to see this movie on opening weekend at East Gate and was disappointed with the turnout. There were like less than 10 of us in the theater.
We all know that the filmmakers did not stumble across their own talent because the quality of our music videos gave it away a long time ago.
South African slums are getting toured these days and producers are no longer ashamed to bring back the dirt and grime like they did with Yizo Yizo.
The shots in this film were remarkable and seemed so easy to achieve, like when TK is being spun by Skiets in the trolley. That was dazzling to watch.
The gun fight between Gumede and Mugza was a satisfying thriller. Not to mention the showdown with TK vs Gumede in the pool. Slo-mo did wonders for this scene.
Skiets is a seductive and dangerous woman to be around. And she has numerous steamy hot sex scenes to boast about.
Mugza is a true thug in the movie and does not play around. Especially when you mess with him. Or when he thinks you do. He smacks the kid who volunteers to wash his beloved BMW with a bucket like he was a doll.
Hard To Get is a dual protagonist flick about TK and Skiets and their 'coming of age' out of the slums for a better future when they head to the City of Gold, Johannesburg - which has a secret underworld.
The production was on point and also the soundtrack was excellent for the chosen genre.
The subtitler did a horrible job because the subtitles were exaggerated. Maybe for white people.
Must see for South Africans. Hard to Get has switched the notch up too quick.
Noah (2014)
A Wonder to Watch but A Few Things Ruined It...
First and foremost the movie had a lot of historical inaccuracies. God or His Supreme presence was absent in the movie. Noah doesn't even get a warning from a Superior Being.
All he gets is a premonition through a dream about a flood. I won't lie it was nice to see this type of creativity in the film but it is still unjustified and unwelcome.
Had God been cast in the film it would make him the Antagonist because He would be the one bringing upon the deluge as means to cleanse the earth.
They made Noah selfish and unkind because he didn't warn people around about an incoming flood so we could have seen them mock him.
Hollywood filmmakers do not believe in God because they are desperately trying to justify all the events they depict in these modern movies.
Once the flood came it was my happiest moment ever and the sound at the theater was ear deafening!!! The producers of the film challenged the good book as much as they can probably because they felt that the 'First & Original Draft' was a bit dry. I did not like the fallen angels part because they seemed to be in the wrong movie. Molten Rocks?? Really?? They really could have done better.
Emma Watson giving birth was heart stopping because she did a brilliant performance.
Superb visuals but lacks the most important aspects.
The Next Three Days (2010)
The Wife Plot Killed The Whole Movie
It is well known that Russell Crowe is the reason this movie was watched. I was personally disappointed about the title: 'The Next Three Days' because it denotes something not found in the movie.
Similar with 'The Day After Tomorrow', a typical person would think its a horror film about an impending doom scheduled to take place at that time.
The wife knew all along that she was innocent but in an act of fury implicates herself in the murder. That's stupid. She has a son out there. Did she care about her?
She never made an appeal or told her correct side if the story. I found that to be dumb. We only learn about her innocence at the end but she knew all along.
It seems as if she wanted to go to prison and put her family through a great deal of pain - and for what reason??? What did she want to achieve by staying in prison for a crime she didn't even commit???
What's up with that? This part of the storyline really did not work for me at all.
And she tries suicide later on....oh LAWD.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Fantasy meets Science Fiction
Artificial Intelligence is a success story of a heart warming and emotional tale about a mechanical subject who has no soul, yet is programmed to love and connect with human beings by his manufacturers.
David is a part of project of pretend-children created by Cybertronics in New Jersey. Because the Swanton's son, Martin, has been ill for a long time, the bosses of Cybertronics come to a decision to grant them the opportunity to be the very first parents of a child Mecha. Society detest the Mechas and are trying so hard to eradicate them but David's uniqueness makes him special, or one of a kind.
Monica rolls the dices when he activates David to start experimenting with affection. The procedure is irreversible and only destruction is the only way out. When David realizes 'consciousness' he asks Monica about death because he knows he will outlive all his loved ones. Monica then introduces to Supertoy that belongs to Martin, named Teddy.
Teddy had been shut down ever since Martin went to hospital. Monica explains that Teddy is a toy and this pisses him off. Even machines before David have some emotional intelligence. Even though it is limited since Teddy does not believe that 50 years is a long time.
It is when the Swanton's son returns home, rivalries start. Firstly, he asks David to break his own toy wanting to test his mechanical powers. Secondly, he plays with both Teddy and David's 'minds' when he asks the Supertoy to elect his leader. Teddy surprised everyone and asks for their mother to bail him out. This must be the Self- Motivated Reasoning Professor Allen Hobby spoke about.
Thirdly, he suggests to Monica to read them a children's book about Pinocchio. David becomes inspired by the story of Pinocchio becoming a real life boy. He also learns that a mythical heroine named The Blue Fairy transformed the wooden marionette into human.
Fueled by jealousy, Martin asks his brother to get a locket of Monica's hair illegitimately. David is cast out of the Swanton Family because of a misunderstanding involving him hurting Martin. He goes on to meet Gigolo Joe, a male prostitute Mecha escaping a murder scene to the Flash Fair.
David's uniqueness and likeness results in him surviving being 'slaughtered' and together with Teddy and Gigolo Joe they set out to look for The Blue Fairy because David believes that she will turn him into a real boy so he can return to his mother who will accept him unconditionally.
David discovers his origins at Cybertronics and runs into a copy of himself. We learn through Professor Allen Hobby that David's image was influenced by Hobby's own son who has deceased. When Hobby goes to gather David's 'mothers' and 'fathers' David tours the headquarters and stumbles across hundreds of his own look alikes who are still undergoing mass production
So this means he is not one of a kind. He is only a first of a kind. Grief stricken, David commits 'suicide' by diving into the risen sea. Although he knows being immersed into a large body of water won't 'kill' him. Through it all, the 11-year-old David succeeds and finds The Blue Fairy on the theme park that has been submerged by the sea.
David exercises his faith and starts praying to The Blue Fairy to make him a real boy for the longest period.
Act IV starts when an excavation crew of Advanced Mechas find David and Teddy frozen inside their Amphibilcopter, shut down 2 millenniums later. The Blue Fairy is not real and is just made out of plastic when she breaks down to pieces as David makes contact with her. This must be the worst heartbreaking scene of the movie.
The Advanced Mechas learn about David and recreate his former him because he is confused.
'This looks like my house but it is different.' - David
How carefully planned and original did the story come about because the new Mechas couldn't give him the exact copy of his old house. Even with their much advanced technology. It must make sense that they also have limitations.
The Mechas also recreate The Blue Fairy for the young boy and speak through her. We know this because The Blue Fairy isn't real and David is just too young to understand. They then resurrect Monica out of a hair strand Teddy kept in his pouch. They also warn him not to say anything it will result in everything being ruined. By the end of the day David gets his ultimate wish - for Monica to finally love and accept him.
The narration by Ben Kingsley stood out the most because his voice talent was soft, encouraging, pleasant and tender. It was a good idea for us to never see things the way David sees them since he has mechanical components. It would ruined the sense of him being a person. David did love his human brother , Martin. As seen on his birthday he got him a present.
Teddy was more of a brother than Martin could ever be. He always looked out for him and stuck by him. Maybe because they were the same kind. At dinner he advised him against consuming vegetables fearing that he would break. But he never advised against the gathering of Monica's hair because it was her biological son's request for him to get the locket.
iNumber Number (2013)
My most successful moment ever in cinema.
The Set Up
After their superior screws them over a deserving reward (R200 000) on their celebrated bust, Chili uses his frustration to join a crime gang following a lead he has been working on because the government doesn't appreciate hardworking policemen, and be on the other side of law.
They serve a corrupt low ranking official and Chili envies a ride on the gravy train too. He has a lot of bills to clear up and no way out of his debts.
The Greedy Cheese Gobblers
The most notorious gang is put together in an unusual set-up. Humor kicks in when Chili joins the team a while after they have started the briefing. Commenting that he didn't know that they were starting on a 'white man's time.' The chemistry between the gobblers flowed through their slangy conversation (which was sprinkled which Afrikaans).
Chili is promised a whooping share of R400 000 for his participation on the 3 million cash heist. For Shoes' help as a lookout he will pay him out a sum of money so he will have the opportunity to take care of his family's financials needs.
Gugu and his prison-tattooed, coloured lover have been plotting against the gang from the beginning. They've had a number of secret meetings.
When Shoes observed that the two lovers were more close than everyone else, he feared that they might surprise them.
Greed was a big undertone. The corrupt officials. Chilli's misguided desire to use his ticket for the gravy train. The inside man named Thulani.
The Rat
South Africa is a democratic country plagued by organized crimes. Crime syndicates run deep within their operations. Cash-in-transit heist security guards are typically part of the heist under mysterious circumstances.
On normal occasions they remain wounded or shot on limbs for show. Internal involvements from staff in most heists is a threat.
Skroef was more than committed when he wanted to prove that there was indeed a culprit among them. All his ideas where quickly calculated with ease. When Chili and his partner orchestrate an infallible plan to get Skroef into custody, it worked against them. This proves Skroef's remarkable street intelligence.
When he presents his 'proof' to the team leader, Mambane, we all wanted to know what it meant. Skroef was so smart and dedicated that after Mambane found the suspect's phone he suggested that they call the numbers on his log.
Donovan placed all his subplots and set pieces in the correct place and they fitted perfectly. Every little set up had to be exactly the way it was for the rest to work. Chili didn't give up his identity because they would be both killed should he try and save his partner. So he took a risk and we saw the story unfold.
When he gets in the dungeon, Chili arms Shoes with a sharp object to free himself - the one that will later save him from a grenade that is thrown in by Skroef to eliminate him. The body count is random and completely unpredictable.
The Heist
Although the plan didn't start as planned out because the spotter failed to inform the crew about the approaching van, and the fact that the decoy was late because Gugu received orders to move later than originally planned and that her car failed to start on the first try - only experienced writers would know how to pull this off by putting an unsympathetic avalanche of obstacles in the character's goals because the tension keeps peeking.
Inside the van the unsuspecting guard named Moses, gives us his back-story before the car is stopped. He explains to the Inside Man (Thulani, which is a verb for isiZulu meaning be quite) that thugs once broke into his home on a robbery and his daughter lost her life due to suffocation caused by a tape that was used to cover her mouth and nose. He even shows him a picture of his deceased kid on his neck chain. This keeps him motivated about the kind of dangerous job he is doing.
Moses explains that the safe is like a grave and he will protect it will whole life because when criminals get their greedy hands on the money - they commit even more crimes. Since he dreads that ever happening on his watch and in order to protect it - they'd rather die trying.
Meanwhile, the Inside Man is quite and barely comments because he knows something horrible is going to happen to Moses and the 'grave' any day now. To prove this, he lets this huge thing walk out first to die for his cause like he swore.
Unbeknownst to him that things have changed on the other side as he was automatically chosen as the Fall Guy, they shoot him down. When the whole plan is dismantled, the actors adapt quickly to the new storyline because we are taken into a brand new set up which changes again and again. Surprise after surprise.
The use of AK's makes the thriller complimentary because it's the ultimate favorite war gun. The stunts are so cheap and possible which makes them surprisingly interesting. The never ending turning of events is overwhelming too. It's a combination of surprise and fear and the action is aesthetically pleasing.
The Dialogue
Skroef is impolite and foul-mouthed. He is the most aggresssive. The dialogue has a funky taste to it. It's clear that using indigenous languages made this film what it is because that's where the humour came from. The dialogue is cheesy and it reeked authenticity and will be forever hard to get over.
Skroef's spearheading involvement in the dialogue workshop had a major and charismatic influence on the characters' speech. The story is composed with an astonishing total number of 5 South African official languages backed with an additional tsotsi taal.
Says Mambane:
"Sesisele ngeviki ukuthi sithele amakati ngebisi."
Character Background
Chili Ngcobo
Chili appears to be a decorated member of the police force for over a decade. He specializes as an undercover cop. That's where he crossed paths with Skroef on a successful police case. Chili feels undermined by the State that he has put his life on the line for.
He can't cope with the current cop salary and this morally eats him up. Chilli gets a tip about a criminal mission underway and collects his once-in-a-life-time ticket to the speeding Gravy Train.
Sello 'Shoes' Moshoeshoe
Nicknamed Shoes. He has been partnering with Chili for most of the cases assigned to them. He is lawfully upright and very stubborn to persuade. His wife is pregnant with their first child and they take care of themselves by means of a vegetable garden when things are tough.
Osbourne 'Mambane' Zulu
Mambane is a bold, raging bull of a man, and big time crime lord with a lot of respect among peers alike. He is the head of this criminal enterprise.
He gathers his own daughter for the multi-million rand heist because she can offer a lot of value. Mambane is the architecture of the mission and the team leader. The brains of all.
Mambane gained his entry into the heist by buying an Executive Transport employee to be his inside man. With him on their side, he got access to the van routes, dates and the safe combinations.
Gugu 'Cheesegirl' Zulu
Cheesegirl joins the heist in order to settle the score with her abusive father who has been molesting her for years. She teams up with her undercover boyfriend to snatch the loot.
Mandla 'Skroef' Senzangakhona
Skroef is a infamous and ruthless criminal all over South Africa adding ATM bombings to his CV. He makes a good addition to Mambane's team. With his expertise and criminal knowledge he provides good aid. Really is a mean-spirited and cutting remark blabbermouth.
Skroef's strong nose goes off on Mambane's diverse team. He recognizes Chili from a previous bust and calls out his suspicions. Next he believes that Warren might be working an assignment on them. Just after their kick-off meeting he experiences a very terrible dream. Someone is watching them.
Skroef's performance was truly iconic. He had this intense burning desire to sniff out any problems and he always backed it up. A bunch of raw talent. Skroef has so much presence and bodied his role. He was unapologetic and showed commitment throughout the story. His performance was electric and credible. Extraordinary.
His suspicions aided him by means of a dream. The quick thinking street intellect.
Ratshidi 'G8' Kgabi
G8 stands for Group of Eight, known as the 8 leading industrial countries in the world. He is a familiar face to Skroef. He is well connected in the high ranks of government. Ratshidi has an unpleasant history with Warren which he later sorts out.
Warren Fourie
Warren is a mercenary. Hardly speaks. Times are hard also for him. He has served time with Mambane in prison so they bonded. He must have supplied the military grade weapons for the score.
Stevland 'Stakes' Daniels
Hardcore tattooed gangsters who is also a member of an elite prison gang known as 28. He's originally from the Cape Flats. Makes a lot of sense for him to be the one dating Gugu. An individual who speaks isiXhosa.
Kenny 'Dex' Baloi
Famous television soap opera star who has a technical skill in explosives. The guys undermine him because of his lousy TV character, which is honestly irrelevant. He yearns for an opportunity to prove them wrong. But a grenade ends his life. Excellent use of irony.
Jabu 'Slim' Dlamini
Slim is the least smartest of the crew. The most naive. That's why he was the first one killed by the enemy. And that's why Mambane initially gave him a spotter position.
Moses 'Mose' Mangcotshwa
Police take no prisoners to curb crime. They have been ordered to shoot to kill by their Commissioner. Moses is one of the crime victims. He has sworn on his life to eradicate unlawful acts at all cost.
Police Captain
Corrupt as they come. Refuses to sign off the cash reward for Chili and Shoes. It seems he will claim it for himself later on.
Thulani
Executive Transport new hire. A two-faced employee who is looking for a quick buck. On his very first month he joins a heist gang. Chili sacrifices his life to save Shoes'.
John Wick (2014)
Slick Gun Playground
John Wick's quick and slick close range shooting hasn't been developed or observed in this movie making era...so these gun fights were unique and mind blowing.
Keanu Reeves couldn't be any more of a perfect actor to play this character because of his slim body and ninjitsu skills which he carried out from Matrix.
His black shiny suit attire and black mustang suited him and his devotion on getting his gift dog avenged. I liked his dedication and his focus.
Really cool movie!
Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
A very warming and artistic film about an ancient era.
Exodus: Gods and Kings (director Ridley Scott) has been a brilliant and exciting experience. The journey that was filled with sweeping shots and CGI ancient village slums was a wonder to see on the big screen.
Though filled with historical inaccuracies like Noah. The movie is played by former Batman star, Christian Bale (Plus his real name suited him for this movie) using a sword to part the Red sea instead of a staff. He wasn't even trying to part the seas but only just throwing his weapon because he was angry that him and his slaves were trapped.
Moses' vision of God was done poorly and was completely odd. God is played by a grumpy young British kid who has heavy mood swings. No one except Moses can either see him or make direct contact with him.
The kid never answers Moses' burning issues but talks at him. This would make sense because even the original God does not have any more Q's and A's with modern people. He works in mysterious ways.
The 10 plagues were unforgettable and beautiful to see. That was what the whole movie was about. Seeing modern day technology recreating the biblical plaques.Like the Red Sea turning into blood. Ridley's justification was that crocodiles eat each other up. Even God must have been impressed.
Ramses did an amazing job when he wept for his first born child as part of the plaques. I've noticed that men better express themselves when saddened by a passing of a child. Parallel with Shutter Island when DiCaprio wails for his three children which were drown by his crazy wife.
The combat in the beginning was awesome and had quick reflexes way better than Troy (2004) when Moses saves Ramses from a chariot that was about to ram him.
The romance between Moses and his wife was cute, unique and original. They had their own unique way of relating to each other.
Truth be told, the absence of a heavenly body bothered a lot of people because we never get a sense of the almighty structure that is above Egypt.
Another thing is it wouldn't have made any sense for Moses to carry a dumb staff and path the seas with it. The movie was just trying to justify events we'd conclude as miracles.
Now You See Me (2013)
It will go down in history as the best movie of 2013.
A lot of people also think there is no real magic in this movie. Since the condescending black guy, Thaddeus, debunks just about every magic trick in the movie.
Well, there is a lot of magic in this movie. One of them is the building leap where the 3 Horsemen turn into money. How does one explain that?
How did the 30-year-old New York Post paper featuring a two page article on Lionel Shrike get inside Alma Dray's Liberation newspaper in Paris? How did Dylan Rhodes escape the locked prison cell when he visited Thaddeus from behind him and then appear in front of him where the door is at?
In the interrogation room Merritt informs Alma about Dylan having daddy issues and that it's her first time off the desk. So he is a real mentalist. He can also feel energy through closed doors and glass when he acknowledges Fuller and Dylan looking at him in the room. Jack disappears from inside the curtain when Dylan grabs him at the joint. And appears on the other side. It's unexplainable, so it's magic.
And also, how did Atlas get the SUCK IT card inside Thaddeus' velveteen pocket before their second show?
We may never know whether the story of the cheating husband at the beginning is true or not. But we do know about Dylan having daddy issues and Alma being her first time off the desk. No one told Merritt. Well, least not about Alma. This is magic.
Thaddeus knew an unusual amount of information about the Horsemen plans and The Eye. So The Eye is real, or was real. He knew about the book Alma was reading called The Guardians of Horus. He even tells Arthur that whatever the grand trick is was designed long ago. How does he know this?
Another clue is the first meeting with Thaddeus when he tells them that they are being played because it's a game. Only Dylan can understand him.
Some people claim that there is no growth in the characters and that they are shallow. Again, not true. They had a start as individual acts, Merritt was successful at one stage, even had a TV show. He was trying to do a comeback with a book he wrote about hypnosis.
Before they leave the joint, Henley wonders who they are working for and Jack doesn't want to go to jail. Or get killed. Merritt is expecting a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Henley reminds them that they must stick to the plan and Merritt will get to do whatever he wants after.
Jack, since he is the youngest, is often treated unfairly. Even in the engineered Jet scene when he wants to speak about his part on the show. He is dismissed. Atlas and Henley used to work together back in the day and went their separate ways as Atlas was a control freak.
When they post a video on Youtube about Jack's death, Merritt also says they have started something bigger than all of them. And they have to finish it. In the lift at 5 Points Henley comments that she had a year of fun even if she goes to jail. This is character development.
At Central Park Merritt celebrates Jack for being 'a big boy now'.
The story is NOT about the Horsemen. It is about Dylan Rhodes. He is the one that grows throughout the movie. He is the one who is satisfied at the end. He is the one who had a goal. He is the one who knows what was happening and what to do.
After the inciting incident, Dylan gets a call from Fuller. He accepts the opportunity and goes to his office to start with the case. When he gets there, to cover his tracks, he acts like he doesn't want anything to do with the case. His plan did not or would not involve anyone outside the bureau, much less an agent from Interpol. He didn't see this one coming.
He later changes his mind when they let them go, confusing the agents. Again, to cover his tracks. When Fuller tells him about Thaddeus being in the show filming the Horsemen, he, to us, did a terrible job when he denies ever having any knowledge about the magic debunker. And only we can see this. Even when they meet Thaddeus at his offices, he had to convince everyone that he doesn't know anything about magic or his own father, Lionel Shrike. He acts like a dummy. We are the only ones who can see this.
At the empty Las Vegas theater, he did an excellent job when he 'pretended' that he didn't know how they stole the money from Paris. For Alma. He had to keep up with her for most of the movie because she was onto something. She's a researcher. A desk agent like Merritt said.
Of course Thaddeus won't last in jail. And yes Arthur's money is gone. Merritt can hypnotize people over the phone to get them to do whatever he wants. Even if Credit Republican of Paris gets its money back since the bank money is probably insured and the Elkhorn money inside the safe at the warehouse, the whole point was for Dylan was to humiliate his victims. Arthur Tressler's insurance career is over. After they exposed his company it will be done away with.
Thaddeus Bradley's ego is busted. He'll find it very difficult to return into the business after what Dylan did to him.