If your Blog was rated like a Movie...

I happened to be surfing the web when I came across a site that gave ratings to blogs like we have it in the movies. Out of curiousty I posted my blog's url and got a rating. I tried other blogs, especially those with 'risque' content and found the ratings questionable. Apparently the site rates through the use of words and not through the use of pictures. Here are some sites that I tested on the site. Sorry if yours isn't featured. I could only do a few.




Kinsharr's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets



Black James bond's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets



The Parakeet's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Aloofar's Blog

OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Afrobabe's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Vera's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


RisqueDiva's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


NigerianDramaQueen's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Buttercup & Charizard's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Standtall's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Ibiluv's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Oluwadee's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Princesa's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Emeka Amakeze's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Rayo's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets



Tina's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Poeticallytinted's Blog
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


And here is the rating for my own blog!!
OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


I guess the rating may not be accurate because when you visit blogs like Afrobabe's there are a lot of X-rated pictures there but the rating allows general audience (LOL!) but RisqueDiva's site did not get away with it because there was enuff dirty talk featured on her blog.

And I still don't understand why mine got this restricted rating! Honestly, is my blog really a bit offensive in anyway?
Gimme your views abeg.

You can check out the site'and rate your blog here

30 Screamer(s):

MOVIE REVIEW - Letters To a Stranger

This movie review was done by a special request from Omosewa.I promised her I'd do one and I always try to keep my promises.




LETTERS TO A STRANGER (2007)
Starring: Fred Amata, Genevieve Nnaji, Femi Blaq, Ibinabo Fiberesima, Joke Silva, Eucharia Anunobi, Elvina Ibru
Written by Victor Sanchez Aghahowa
Directed by Fred Amata





The Story centres on Jemima, a working class lady who has a peculiar hobby of keeping a diary which is addressed to a non-existent stranger.
Through a wrong number dial on her phone, she eventually meets a real stranger (played by Femi Blaq) and they become phone buddies. Meanwhile, her supposed fiancé, Frederick (Played by Fred Amata), is not handling their relationship well and his negligence drives her to confide more in her stranger friend.
They eventually meet and things begin to happen as the inconsistency of Fred drives Jemima closer to her stranger friend, Sadiq.
Complications arise when it turns out Sadiq and Fred know each other and when she finds out she loves both men but one must go for the other.






The story is simple and has the theme that most Nollywood movies would show in their films but this movie stands out in its own unique way which one cannot ignore.
From the dialogue sequences to the lighting effects, camera work and post production, the movie expresses the work of improved professionalism in the Nigerian film industry.



A lot of Nollywood movies are known for showcasing stories with cheesy and unrealistic dialogues, their saving grace being prolific actors who would usually add their own flair to it. Letters to a Stranger is a departure from this norm. The script was good; from the delivery of the actors you could tell that it was meticulously done. I give it up to Victor Sanchez Aghahowa who wrote the script. Unlike some other Nollywood movies, the movie avoids senseless and unnecessary dialogue. You are kept on point with the conversation and there’s no how you get to miss out on it or get bored by it.
Apart from just very few glitches, most of the dialogue delivered were realistic and reminiscent of how it’s done in Hollywood blockbusters. Because of this the movie makers were able to create some good suspense through the dramatic and emotional dialogues between the actors.



A lot of the camera work and angles were quite impressive. The lighting was good and not exaggerated. There was a consistency all through it that gave the movie its own feeling of warmth and emotion. There is so much impact you can create on a movie through the lighting. Post production did some impressive job with effects like the slow-motion shots and the accompanying sound effect.



I was overjoyed when I noticed that the movie had a soundtrack that didn’t practically tell you the whole story. The soundtrack along with other sound effects were brilliantly arranged. It further encouraged my rating for the movie.
The transitions from scene to scene was fluid and blended so well that timeliness was well achieved and the movie did not attempt to waste the viewer’s time.




The Actors were not disappointing. I found Yemi Blaq’s performance very impressive and realistic. He fitted so well into his role such that you don’t see Yemi Balq, rather you see Sadiq, the compassionate stranger.
Genevieve Nnaji still proved the screen queen that she is. As Jemima, she handled the barrage of conflicting emotions so well that I’d recommend her for a Hollywood performance any day.
Elvina Ibru surprised me. She was the movie’s comic relief and she did a damn good job of it. Her antics as Tare, Jemima’s sanguine and outrageous roommate were so hilarious and real you would have thought she wasn’t acting but just catching her fun.





Fred Amata didn’t really do it well for me as Frederick the fiancĂ©. He was a bit plastic though he still managed to carry his role effectively to the end.
I was surprised that other minor roles were handled by big actors and actresses like Eucharia Anunobi, Joke Silva, Segun Arinze so well too. Eucharia especially was a natural in her powerful in delivery of her role as Jemima’s boss.



It would be unfair to say there weren’t a number of flaws or overlooked areas in the movie. As usual in most Nigerian movies, audio quality has always been a challenge. Letters to a Stranger fell victim to this as well. There were instances where some actors’ voices were louder than others. There was also the case of uncontrolled background noise which stole the emotional importance of the dialogue between Jemima and Fred in the scene where he was about to take her to the airport.



The Phone conversation audios were not well edited. In scenes where the person on the other end of the phone was out of view, the sound was not telephonic but rather as if the person was in the same room as the caller or receiver. Such an oversight could kill the realistic feel of the moment unless it’s a scene in which the screen is split to show callers on both sides at the same time.






The dream scene in which Tare dreams of her favorite star, Dbanj about to kiss her was a hilarious scene but was not well executed and as a result lost the humour which would have been priceless.






The movie’s title is unique and very different from the usual funny titling of your regular Nigerian movie but it sort of lost its relevance early into the movie as the stranger was revealed too soon. Fortunately, it caught on back as the movie went on.



Lastly, we do appreciate the sponsorship of MTN but their presence was made way too loud and obvious. At a point the movie was beginning to look like an over-extended MTN TV commercial which could be quite annoying. Though at a point, the movie makers made the mistake of letting us see that Jemima’s supposed MTN phone actually had a Glo line in it as we see in the taxi scene where she had to call either Fred or Sadiq to make her choice.




Overall, Letters to a Stranger was a good movie and an applaudable credit to director and producer Fred Amata, and associate director and writer Victor Sanchez Aghahowa.
It’s a movie worth watching and not a waste of your money; it’s a movie that gets you laughing, smiling and shedding a tear or two. The suspense is very impressive and effective, the dialogues are interesting and the ending impactful.



Rating for Letters to a Stranger
Worth watching! ****





Rating List


Don’t waste your money abeg! > *
They tried > **
Not bad at all > ***
Worth watching! > ****
Grab some popcorn or suya! > *****



PS:I had to post this entry through HTML! Blogger is still messing with my settings! I dont have a post editor panel!

14 Screamer(s):

THE CHRONICLES X - TAKEN 3

‘Segun! What on earth are you doing?’

Segun turned round to see Ada standing behind him in a short red gown, arms akimbo, a quizzical look on her face.
He gave a big sigh of relief grabbing briefly at his chest.

‘Ada, you scared the living daylights out of me!’

‘Hmm…you’ve been a bit edgy these past few days. What’s wrong with you?’

‘I guess I’ve been a little bit paranoid. Maybe it’s the stress at work’
He dabbed his sweaty face with his hankie. It was a deliberate move to hide his face. Ada was very good at reading expressions, especially if you were lying to her.

‘Oh you poor baby’, Ada cooed at him, caressing his face and planting a soft kiss on his lips.
Normally, whenever she did this, it sent electrifying charges of lust shooting through his body but today things seemed different. The kiss felt cold, her caress felt like tiny tentacles from some deadly parasite, and her grip felt like the shackles of death.

For a moment, his conscience had reared up its ugly head and beclouded his mind with tormenting guilt. He shook off her hands and walked hurriedly out of the bar. A battle was raging in his mind; two voices argued violently in his head.

Don’t tell me you’re going to run off and leave that chick all by her self! Don’t you see she needs you?

But what about Shola? She’s been with you through the thick and thin; she’s your wife. Are you going to keep cheating on her?

Who say’s you’re cheating on her? This is just a game that adults play. As long as you keep this affair a secret, things will go on fine!

But you know secrets like this only end up being exposed. Someone may soon catch you at it.

Not if you stay away from where anyone can catch you. Beside’s you’re not the only one doing this, some of your friends are too.

But what about what this strange guy has been telling you? Haven’t you for once thought of taking him serious?

Duh! It only means you’ve not been doing enough to keep this secret a secret!

The argument seemed to go on and on. He stood outside the bar beside his car and held firmly against the car door. His mind was going into a mental staccato as he tried to make a decision.

Finally, he made one.

But only after he had turned to look towards the bar to see Ada cat-walking towards him.
The light from the bar shone through her diaphanous dress and he saw a silhouetted outline of what she would look like naked.

Suddenly, the voice that was encouraging him to continue with the affair became highly motivated and drowned the other one that opposed the idea.
He couldn’t resist the allure from this woman. She reached deep into him like he had never felt.
Somewhere inside him, a faint voice yelled at him, that he was like a rat chewing on sweet succulent poison. He ignored reason and obeyed lust.

He took the puzzled Ada by the hands and drew her closer to him.

‘I’m sorry for barging out like that. Just needed some air’

‘And what on earth was suffocating you in there? My kiss?’

‘Oh come on…of course not. I was just stressed. That’s all.’

‘You’re lying.’ She had looked into his face.

‘Okay. I want you.’

‘You want me?’

‘Yes.’

She looked hard into his face then gave up.

‘At least that’s one truth you’re telling.’

She leaned forward and re-enacted her caressing and kissing ritual again. His eyes closed as he kissed back pressing her against the side of the Honda.
He opened his eye them briefly and froze in mid-kiss.
Ada opened her eyes and looked into his. Their lips were still locked but his was beginning to tremble.
On one of the side windows of the car was the reflection of a familiar face - the strange man in the white African lace.
The reflection folded its arms and shook its head disappointedly.

Segun broke the kiss and turned round sharply but there was no one standing behind him.
He looked at the window again. It was blank.
He yanked out his keys, opened the car and ordered a confused Ada to get in.

‘Segun what’s wrong?’

‘Let’s get the hell out of here. I think someone may be spying on us.’



The hotel they chose was on the outskirts of the town; a long distance from their regular rendezvous.
Segun kept the details of his encounter with the strange man hidden from Ada. He didn’t didn’t tell her anything about it for fear of sending her into a panic. Ada might be a tough chick but Segun knew where her weaknesses lay.

By the time they had caught their fun at the hotel’s garden club – danced to the music under the creative maneuver of a enigmatic DJ, had a few bottles of alcohol and chatted with other fellow night crawlers – Segun had totally forgotten what happened earlier; his dread had been washed away with an endless supply of beer and switched off by the sensual touches of his scandalously sensual companion. He was having the time of his life.

The night was colorful and full of energy…just like the surroundings of the hotel…just like the room lobbies which were littered with fornicating couples getting ready for the night’s main course.

Yes. The night was colorful and full of life…just like the room Segun and Ada booked…just like the sex they had that night.

The night was full of life…until that moment when Segun rose from the bed, freeing himself from the hold of a sleeping Ada to go and take a pee.

There standing by the big draped windows, arms folded and shaking his head disappointedly stood the stranger in the white lace fabric.

Segun almost peed on himself.

‘What the hell are you doing here? How did you get in?’ He ranted in an angry whisper.

The stranger said nothing but just kept looking at him. There was a blank expression on his face that made Segun feel uneasy.


Segun got out of the bed, he was in his briefs. His mind raced on what to do.
He couldn’t fathom why the man was in the room. Things had obviously generated to another level. What was this guy here to do? Was it finally to kill him?



‘Please I don’t know what it is you want but I’ll pay you double of what you were paid just to let me alone’, Segun said. He had mustered strength to put up a bold act but was disappointed when he heard the way his voice sounded. It had fear lined up all over his tone.

‘Please…I…I promise I won’t do this again…I’ll p-pay you whatever…’ He knew he was making promises he wasn’t sure he could keep but that was a bother for later.

‘Sorry. Too late.’ It was the first time the stranger had spoken since he appeared and his tone sounded firm and dead serious.

Segun lost his nerve. He had never in life felt morbid fear at such intensity. He suddenly felt a strange cold gust blow through his entire being.

He had to do something. He couldn’t allow this guy attack him without fighting back.
His eye caught sight of an empty flower vase on the writing table a few inches away from where he stood.
Acting on his survival instinct, he went for the vase.

He never got to pick it.

His hands seemed to go through the vase.

He blinked several times trying to figure out whether it was the beer that was still holding his senses captive but found out that he felt perfectly okay, he couldn’t even feel the usual hangover that followed. He checked the clock on the table. The time read 3:30am.
Something wasn’t right.

Then he heard Ada scream.

He swung round to find out what the commotion was about and froze when his eyes settled on the bed.

Ada was jumping about on the bed and screaming.

On the bed partially wrapped under the sheets lay a man that bore a striking resemblance to him.

It took Segun two minutes to realize he starring at his own corpse.

‘Come on Segun. Your time is up. It’s time to go’

Your time is up. That was the only thing he heard as reality dawned on him. Anguish welled up inside him and he let out a blood curdling scream…a scream no one would ever hear.

He sobbed uncontrollably and tried to reach out for his body but found the whole room had begun to somehow moving away from his reach. He turned to the stranger for answers but the man in the white african fabric had transformed. He was glowing with amazing and beautiful radiance...but his face looked mean.
Segun felt a knowledge coming upon him - that this was the messenger of death sent to take his soul.
He screamed for the second time as the angel took his hand and led him away into a dreaded vast waiting eternity.


Concluded

© Lolu Kush (Afronuts) - Story
© Kimson Masters - Illustrations


*Sorry I couldnt put up the illustration to this part. Blogger is messing with my settings.*

29 Screamer(s):

Whats happening to blogger?

Is it me or is blogger acting wierd? I've been trying to post the concluding entry to the story with pictures but I cant see the panel for uploading images!

Anybody experiencing the same thing?

11 Screamer(s):