This is my entry for the Cine TV Contest #141, to choose your favorite relaxing movie. My choice is the third Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I know, I know, many many people love this series and perhaps choosing a Harry Potter movie for this contest is not exactly shocking but it is what it is. I just love this series a lot and I think when it comes to relaxing films in the Harry Potter series, Prisoner of Azkaban fits that idea perfectly.

Prisoner of Azkaban I find to be the most balanced film of the franchise. Good balance is a pretty relaxing characteristic when it comes to entertainment and well, anything in life I guess. I am extremely reluctant to pick an actual favorite Harry Potter film, but Prisoner of Azkaban would be a top candidate, and I do happily admit that it's easily one of my favorites. Maybe I'll reluctantly rank the films one day for fun, who knows. It would stink to have to choose a least favorite LOL but it could be interesting.

Why is this film relaxing to me? Well the pure nostalgia this film gives me is off the charts. But also, just the effortless story telling this one brings is really excellent. Everything flows seamlessly. The story telling, and the effortless special effects really collaborate together so well.

One of the most relaxing aspects of this movie is just the pure art and cinematography in general. This film is just visually stunning and appealing. The vibes are gray and chill and just outstanding.

Prisoner of Azkaban aesthetics are just IDEAL!

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Lupin is such an underrated character in the Harry Potter universe I feel. Harry and Lupin's conversations are really full of wise advice and guidance. Truly an interesting pocket of time in Harry's life. Src

I mean honestly, the more I think on it, Prisoner of Azkaban might be one of my favorite films of any genre ever.

When it comes to the series in general, Prisoner of Azkaban is the perfect pivot point from the first two installments, into the more intense and serious upcoming ones. Harry's growing up, his awareness and maturity really begin to blossom.

This scene is so good, so iconic, not just simply because Harry defeats like a hundred Dementors, but mostly because of how important this moment was for Harry. Hermione delivers the line perfectly saying simply 'Harry listen to me, no one's coming.' That line hits really hard. Harry seems to realize that he has to save himself, be there for himself. It makes this whole scene that much more amazing and meaningful. It's a lesson mostly anyone can relate too. Personally growing up without a dad and various family drama as a whole, this scene will probably always resonate with me. The whole idea of watching the person you care about and literally yourself die, but intervening, is really powerful and clever. There's a profound sense peace and relaxation you get when you realize you can and should take control of your own life.

Another really epic scene comes earlier on when Lupin, Sirius, Pettigrew and Snape all essentially meet and so much lore is revealed and mysteries become solved. The acting was pretty off the charts there!

Prisoner of Azkaban can be watched seriously or put on in the background. I think that's another good indicator of a relaxing film.

I haven't written a movie post in awhile, Prisoner of Azkaban might seriously be a 9.8/10. I guess it's hard to call a movie perfect but yeah. Director Alfonso Cuarón was on point! Of course so was J.K. Rowling!

Sometimes stories get famous for a reason ya know? I know it might be cliché to be a big Harry Potter fan but oh well! This series is just amazing to me!

Happy 45th Birthday Harry!

This one has no caveats. Although I guess it can't hurt if you saw the original Happy Gilmore in the theater and nearly died laughing during it. I would imagine the nostalgia I felt for the first film helped fuel my enjoyment of this one.

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If this were the first time meeting Happy Gilmore and his family I don't know if I would have liked the movie as much as I did. The fact that Happy already had a long standing relationship with the audience made it easy to root for him and to overlook some of the movie's shortcomings.

To be honest, Happy Gilmore was exactly what I hoped it would be. It was not as funny as the first one (that would have been nearly impossible) but that was OK. Just like I grew up since seeing the original almost 30 years ago, so did Happy Gilmore and its writers. Instead of relying on over-the-top absurd humor, this one leaned a little bit more on the heart. i didn't almost die laughing, but I was smiling the entire time. The writers actually came up with a pretty good plat to explain why this movie was going to be very similar to the original. In the first movie, Happy needed money to help his beloved Grandma. Nearly 30 years later it is his only daughter who he needs to win for. It is a pretty simple idea that created a vehicle for some laughs. And a lot of those laughs come from the rest of Happy's family. I was really amused buy his four sons who had inherited Happy's super aggressive "hockey gene". Even though they were ridiculous meatheads, their was still love for their dad and sister there. That is where the heart I spoke of comes in.

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But Happy's best relative is down on his luck ex-golfer John Daley... played by down on his luck ex-golfer John Daley. I think he was supposed to be Happy's brother-in-law but I'm not quite sure. But it didn't matter. John Daley living in Happy's garage just seemed to make sense. He is more like a pet than a brother, but that made it even funnier. John Daley isn't the only cameo. This movie is jam packed with them. Many are callbacks to the original movie. But some are truly original like NFL player Travis Kelce playing an asshole waiter and the foil for the second best cameo (next to Daley) by musical artists Bad Bunny. He plays a bus boy who becomes Happy's caddy. I may be biased because I like a lot of the good work Bad Bunny has done in the real world, but I was shocked at how good his comedic timing was.

Some people may be turned off by the fact that Sandler cast his daughters in two important roles, but one of them is his daughter in the movie. I know my daughter would kill me if I cast someone else instead of her. Who can play my daughter better than my daughter? And once she was in it, you have to cast the other one if you ever want a peaceful Hanukkah. So I actually thought it made the movie more endearing.

So should you watch this? If you are a fan of the original happy Gilmore, you honestly have no choice. You simply must watch it. Otherwise you won't get to see our our old pal is doing. If you haven't seen Happy Gilmore yet, watch that first. If you like it, I bet you will appreciate this one too.

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I just finished watching Magazine Dreams (202) and it took me about 3 weeks to finish. LOL. I always watched only a bit of it every now and then, I couldn't stay on it and finish it at a go, because it was so depressing and in some ways it was driving me insane.

The main reason I wanted to watch it was because I'm a bodybuilding enthusiast as you may have noticed from my workout videos and posts, and I know that watching people with great bodies show off their muscles is great motivation and a great primer. After watching you get more of the zeal to build your own body.

Another reason was I love Jonathan Majors. He's a great actor and it is fantastic how all of a sudden he became the guy with the great body starting from the movie Creed. It kinda felt like it came from nowhere and it's fun to watch.

I put on the movie and the story is just so sad and depressing. I don't get to see as much muscle shows as I thought I would see. The depressing stuff was also really well portrayed that you can't but catch some of the depression yourself as you watch.

The insanity of the hero was also very pressuring. It had me feeling like I could relate to this insanity because it reminded me of all the awkward moments I've had in the past. For example the awkwardness and nervousness he felt when trying to ask a girl out on a date reminded me of all the times I've felt similar.

His was extreme and he ruined everything, but all the extreme things he did reminded me that I've felt like doing extreme things too when nervous, the only difference is that I didn't do them because I'm sane. But the reminder that I've felt this exact way and watching someone act on it had me feeling like so this is how close I have come to insanity!

It also had me feeling like whatever made this guy to act like this I have it too inside me, it's just that I can control mine. And who knows how long I'll keep being in control of mine? It is possible I lose control one of these days. The majors thing is that I have this thing inside me too, goddamn!

But I'm quite certain we all have nerves sometimes and some crazy impulses no matter how sane you but insane people are just the ones who can't control theirs.

It was some type of way to watch, especially as it was so well portrayed.

Upside

At the end of the movie I was wondering what the upside to the movie is, I wasn't really entertained, the plot didn't have a lot of spice and twists,we didn't see enough great bodies, there wasn't a lot of great jokes, etc.

Also it didn't reveal what goes on behind the scenes in the world of bodybuilding like reviews said, the homosexual act with a bigger bodybuilder, the frustration of the main character with the judges and not winning shows is not much because he clearly didn't do much to win and he simply seemed like a guy that needed more time and work before he'll expect to be really big time.

But I had to settle for the fact that this is some sort of horror movie where your sanity and ability to tolerate cringe awkward insane sad moments is tested and stretched the same way your ability to tolerate gore and horrific events are tested with horror movies.

If you look at it like that then this is a great movie from that genre because it was so well done.

Source of cover photo

The End

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Disney has decided, once again, to show us that the bottom of the barrel has even more depth. If the previous "Zombies" installments had already given us ample examples of originality bordering on nonexistent, this fourth installment, "Dawn of the Vampires," not only matches that mediocrity, but pulverizes it with an audacity that borders on insult.

This isn't cinema; it's a fast-consumption product, designed to be forgotten as soon as the next sequel or Disney+ series hits the screens.

The plot, if this jumble of ideas can even be called that, returns to the idyllic town of Seabrook. That place where the living dead and teenagers with textbook choreography seemingly coexist without major trauma!

The genius of the screenwriter (who, I suspect, sold his soul to the devil for a $10 contract) has decided that what the formula was missing was... vampires!

The reason?

Because yes, because someone thought that introducing a new faction of teenage monsters would give a spark to an already moribund franchise. The conflict, predictable to the point of nausea, is the same as always: "Oh no, the new guys don't accept us. Oh no, we have to join together to sing and dance!" Subtlety is a concept foreign to this universe; the message about acceptance is delivered with the delicacy of a sledgehammer.

And the characters...

Oh, the characters! Oh my God!

Meg Donnelly and Milo Manheim reprise their roles as if they'd been paid in movie coupons, but not for quality films.

Not at all!

Addison, the zombie cheerleader, has become a textbook Mary Sue: perfect, without internal conflicts, a kind of flat caricature of what could once have been an interesting character.

Zed, the zombie protagonist, is so bland that one wonders if he's more alive than the vampires who appear on screen.

And the new vampires...?

The height of ridiculousness. Teenagers with plastic fangs that shine as brightly as a disco ball, dialogue that would make a 2012 fan fiction writer blush, and a villain who is, wait for it, an "influencer vampire."

Seriously, Disney! Did you realize how absurd that sounds? Because I did.

The music, the supposed soul of the saga, has become the sound of a creative void. If some songs used to be catchy through sheer repetition, now they're downright unbearable.

The autotune is so prevalent that even the sighs seem digitally processed. The lyrics rhyme "heart" with "song," "love" with "pain," in an exercise in lyrical laziness that offends anyone who's ever heard a decent pop ballad.

And the main theme song... the anthem of a cult of vampire teenagers with too much free time and little critical insight.

As for the special effects, their lack is palpable. It seems that the budget for this installment was just enough for an episode of a low-grade children's show.

The vampires' fangs glow with an intensity that rivals Christmas lights, the "transformations" are reduced to meme-worthy Instagram filters, and the action scenes lack any tension, rivaling the excitement of an episode of "Dora the Explorer" watched by an adult.

And then there's the message, Disney's desperate attempt to sell us on the idea that everything is wonderful and that diversity is accepted, as long as you fit their mold of teenage perfection.

"Accept those who are different," they tell us, but only if they're good-looking, know how to dance, and have a Disney contract. Vampires are "misunderstood," but in reality, they're just teenagers with bad attitudes who think they're rebels.

Where are the scary monsters, the ones that posed moral dilemmas beyond a synchronized dance?

"Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires" isn't a movie, no; it's a product. Designed to sell merchandise, to keep a long-dead franchise alive, and perhaps to fill gaps in the Disney+ catalog.

If you're looking for a laugh, do it with this movie, but it's a bitter laugh, the kind that comes with a deep sense of disappointment. If you value your time and your brain cells, run in the other direction.

I'm giving it a 0.5 out of 10, and that half point generously goes to the vampire who sneezed in one scene.

At least that one seemed genuinely uncomfortable.

▶️ Translation: Google Translation

▶️ Images: Frames captured with my phone

"Zombis 4: El Amanecer de los Vampiros" - un Vacío Creativo que Disney Llama Película

Disney ha decidido, una vez más, demostrarnos que el fondo del barril tiene aún más profundidad. Si las entregas anteriores de "Zombis" ya nos habían dado sobradas muestras de una originalidad rayana en lo inexistente, esta cuarta entrega, "El Amanecer de los Vampiros", no solo iguala esa mediocridad, sino que la pulveriza con una audacia que roza el insulto.

Esto no es cine; es un producto de consumo rápido, diseñado para ser olvidado tan pronto como la siguiente secuela o serie de Disney+ irrumpa en las pantallas.

La trama, si es que a este desaliño de ideas se le puede llamar así, regresa al idílico pueblo de Seabrook. ¡Ese lugar donde aparentemente conviven sin mayores traumas muertos vivientes y adolescentes con coreografías de manual!

La genialidad del guionista (quien, sospecho, vendió su alma al diablo por un contrato de $10) ha decidido que lo que le faltaba a la fórmula era… ¡vampiros!

¿La razón?

Porque sí, porque a alguien se le ocurrió que meter una nueva facción de monstruos adolescentes le daría chispa a una franquicia ya moribunda. El conflicto, predecible hasta la náusea, es el mismo de siempre: "Oh, no, los nuevos no nos aceptan. ¡Oh, no, tenemos que unirnos para cantar y bailar!". La sutileza es un concepto ajeno a este universo; el mensaje sobre la aceptación se imparte con la delicadeza de un mazo de demolición.

Y los personajes…

¡Ay, los personajes! ¡Por Dios!

Meg Donnelly y Milo Manheim retoman sus roles como si les hubieran pagado en cupones de descuento para ir al cine, pero no para ver películas de calidad.

¡Nada de eso!

Addison, la porrista-zombie, se ha convertido en una Mary Sue de manual: perfecta, sin conflictos internos, una especie de caricatura plana de lo que alguna vez pudo ser un personaje interesante.

Zed, el zombie protagonista, es tan insípido que uno se pregunta si está más vivo que los propios vampiros que aparecen en pantalla.

¿Y los nuevos vampiros…?

La cumbre del ridículo. Adolescentes con colmillos de plástico que brillan tanto como una bola de discoteca, diálogos que harían sonrojar a un escritor de fanfics de 2012, y un villano que es, atención, un "vampiro influencer".

¡En serio, Disney! ¿Se dieron cuenta de lo absurdo que suena? Porque yo sí.

La música, esa supuesta alma de la saga, se ha convertido en el sonido del vacío creativo. Si antes alguna canción lograba ser pegadiza por pura fuerza de repetición, ahora son directamente insoportables.

El autotune está tan presente que parece que hasta los suspiros están procesados digitalmente. Las letras riman "corazón" con "canción", "amor" con "dolor", en un ejercicio de pereza lírica que ofende a cualquiera que haya escuchado una balada pop decente.

Y el tema principal… el himno de una secta de adolescentes vampíricos con demasiado tiempo libre y poca visión crítica.

En cuanto a los efectos especiales, la falta de ellos es palpable. Parece que el presupuesto de esta entrega alcanzó para lo justo y necesario para un episodio de un programa infantil de baja estofa.

Los colmillos de los vampiros brillan con una intensidad que rivaliza con las luces de Navidad, las "transformaciones" se reducen a filtros de Instagram dignos de un meme, y las escenas de acción carecen de cualquier tipo de tensión, rivalizando en emoción con un episodio de "Dora la Exploradora" visto por un adulto.

Y luego está el mensaje, ese intento desesperado de Disney por vendernos que todo es maravilloso y que la diversidad es aceptada, siempre y cuando encajes en su molde de perfección adolescente.

"Acepta a los diferentes", nos dicen, pero solo si son guapos, saben bailar y tienen un contrato con Disney. Los vampiros son "incomprendidos", pero en realidad son solo adolescentes con mala actitud que se creen rebeldes.

¿Dónde quedaron los monstruos que daban miedo, los que planteaban dilemas morales más allá de un baile sincronizado?

"Zombis 4: El Amanecer de los Vampiros" no es una película, no; es un producto. Diseñado para vender merchandising, para mantener viva una franquicia que murió hace tiempo y para, quizás, rellenar huecos en el catálogo de Disney+.

Si buscan reírse, háganlo con esta película, pero es una risa amarga, de las que vienen acompañadas de un profundo sentimiento de decepción. Si valoran su tiempo y sus neuronas, corran en dirección contraria.

Le doy un 0.5 sobre 10, y ese medio punto es, generosamente, para el vampiro que estornudó en una escena.

Al menos, ese sí pareció genuinamente incómodo.

▶️ Traducción: Google Translation

▶️ Imágenes: Fotogramas capturados con mi teléfono

Sideshow (S07E15)

Airdate: 19 February 1999

Written by: David Simon Directed by: Edwin Sherin

Running Time: 43 minutes

By mid-Season 7 of Homicide: Life on the Street, it had become glaringly evident that the show’s days were numbered. Despite its critical acclaim and enduring reputation for gritty realism, declining ratings and shifting network priorities spelled its doom. NBC, however, made a last-gasp effort to prolong its life through a familiar strategy: a two-part crossover episode with Law & Order, its more popular and politically potent sibling series. This was the third such collaboration between the two procedurals, following the 1996 For God and Country and 1997 Baby, It's You. The formula remained unchanged: the first instalment aired on Law & Order to lure viewers to the second, which aired on Homicide. Sideshow, however, proved less than triumphant. Its plot, steeped in political scandal and partisan mudslinging, felt both overly derivative and overly specific to the era’s controversies, leaving the episode as a decent but ultimately forgettable footnote in the series’ legacy.

The episode’s central narrative revolves around the murder of Janine McBride, a high-ranking federal official whose death sparks a joint investigation between the NYPD and Baltimore Police Department. The first part concludes with the death of Chelsey Purcell, a Black prostitute and murder suspect, killed by Ned Burks (Adam Grupper), the victim’s unhinged ex-boyfriend. Yet the investigation persists due to a cryptic detail: Purcell’s phone contained an unlisted White House contact number. This revelation sets off a chain of events involving Independent Counsel William Dell (George Hearn), a ruthless prosecutor determined to dismantle the Clinton administration. Dell’s relentless pursuit of political leverage overpowers the homicide unit’s efforts, as he commandeers witnesses and evidence, prioritising partisan gain over justice.

The truth eventually surfaces: Purcell was a part-time assassin working for Walter Boyce (Charles Malik Whitfield), a Baltimore drug lord serving a life sentence. Boyce, seeking a lighter sentence, admits to orchestrating McBride’s murder as a favour for Theodore Dawkins (Jimmie Ray Weeks), a former DEA agent-turned-private investigator connected to the White House. Dawkins, in turn, was acting on behalf of Carla Bernardi (Tammy Arnold), a White House aide whose lesbian relationship with federal official Katherine Ranner (Julie Nathanson) was threatened by McBride’s blackmail. Despite Dawkins’ arrest, Dell’s manipulative legal tactics ensure the case remains weak, with seasoned prosecutors such as New York’s Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) and Maryland’s Ed Danvers (Željko Ivanek) dismissing it as politically poisoned. The episode’s climax underscores Dell’s cynicism: he offers Dawkins a plea deal, not to secure justice, but to fuel his own vendetta against the administration—a move that will likely end without justice being served.

Sideshow is unmistakably inspired by the real-life Monica Lewinsky scandal, which had dominated headlines from 1998 to 1999. President Clinton’s impeachment and Senate acquittal in early 1999—just days before Sideshow’s February 1999 broadcast—looms large over the episode’s themes. David Simon, Homicide’s co-creator and writer, adopts the same ideological stance as Law & Order’s René Balcer in the first instalment: the “real” scandal was not the president’s personal misconduct but the partisan witch hunt led by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr. In Sideshow, Dell serves as Starr’s fictional doppelgänger, a figure consumed by ideological zeal and willing to weaponise legal authority to dismantle political opponents. The episode frames Dell as the true villain, indirectly responsible for three deaths (McBride, Purcell, and Burks) through his McCarthyist tactics, which pit friends, lovers, and colleagues against one another.

Simon’s script, however, does little to innovate. The parallels to the Lewinsky affair are overt and unambiguous, with Dell’s tactics mirroring Starr’s exploitation of Clinton’s personal life to overshadow broader systemic issues. The narrative’s progressive bias is clear: the “scandal” is less about the president’s transgressions than the hypocrisy of his accusers. Yet this stance, while politically pointed, lacks nuance. The episode glosses over Clinton’s own moral failings, instead casting him as a victim of partisan overreach—a perspective that, especially now, in light of the Epstein scandal, feels dated and one-dimensional.

Sideshow’s chief weakness lies in its subplots, which strain to add depth but instead dilute the main narrative. One such thread involves Lt. Al Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) and his son Mike (Giancarlo Esposito), an FBI agent assigned as liaison to his unit. Their fraught dynamic—rooted in mutual distrust and competing jurisdictions—could have explored themes of generational conflict and institutional loyalty. Instead, the subplot is underdeveloped, reduced to a handful of tense exchanges that hint at deeper tensions without resolving them. Similarly, Ed Danvers’ subplot—his nomination for a judicial appointment derailed by Dell’s sabotage over a decades-old race-related crime—feels tacked-on. The revelation about Danvers’ past, while provocative, is underexplained, reducing it to a melodramatic plot twist rather than a meaningful exploration of race and justice.

The episode’s most glaring misstep is its side story about Detective Sheppard (Michael Michele) grappling with trauma after being beaten and disarmed on duty. Her discussions with Detective Stivers (Toni Lewis) about gender inequality in policing are repetitive and poorly integrated. Scenes of the duo drinking at the Waterfront Bar, where Sheppard drunkenly vents about male colleagues’ condescension, feel contrived. Michele’s performance, while earnest, struggles to elevate what reads as a token nod to feminist themes, particularly given the show’s sparse representation of female perspectives elsewhere.

Ultimately, Sideshow’s greatest flaw is its over-reliance on topicality. The Monica Lewinsky scandal, while fresh in 1999, now feels like ancient history, stripping the episode of its intended urgency. Even at the time, its partisan critique risked alienating viewers unfamiliar with the era’s political nuances. Simon’s script, for all its ambition, lacks the layered storytelling that distinguished Homicide’s earlier seasons. The crossover format, once a clever narrative device, here feels formulaic, with Law & Order’s procedural tone clashing awkwardly with Homicide’s character-driven realism.

By Season 7, Homicide’s creative energy was undeniably waning. The show’s final season, cut short by cancellation, lacked the cohesion and innovation of its earlier years. Sideshow, while competently executed, epitomises this decline. It is a solid procedural with political ambitions but lacks the emotional resonance or narrative complexity that once defined the series.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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Friends, Salman Khan is a hero whose movies are super hits. This movie is no exception, but there is another Tamil version of this movie; basically, the movie is made from the Tamil version to the Hindi version. But since Salman Khan has acted, it means there will be a best list from other movies.

Everyone who has acted in this movie has done a great performance, especially Salman Khan's performance is so great that no matter how much I tell you, I feel like I can't explain it to you properly. In addition, the other artists who are in this movie should not be praised. They also very beautifully impressed with their performance.

SOURCE

I was scrolling through my Facebook page one time when I stumbled upon the movie trailer Oloture. It's a Nollywood production, and quite frankly, the movie wasn't as lit as the trailer, as I had so many concerns and expectations that weren't met. It is worth noting that this is a movie with two seasons released. The names of both seasons are Oloture and Oloture: The Journey.

The Plot

https://youtu.be/hR7eGhTnOxw?si=0lvXJ5ChGgGEMB4H

Oloture is the story of a female journalist who was working undercover in a brothel. She hoped for a breakthrough in her career with her big story uncovering all the shady deals on human trafficking by the politicians in the country. At first, it seemed nothing much was happening, and it became fun for her while undercover. She gained the trust of some girls while on the job, and a friendship was made.

However, in Oloture the journey, things soon went south when she got exactly what she sought. Not knowing when to draw the line, Oloture was catapulted into the world of exploited women. She became very unlucky as she went from being smart to being among the victims. She soon bit off more than she could chew, which led to the death of her friend/her colleague and her being stranded in a foreign country.

My Thoughts

SOURCE

Certain scenes in this movie didn't make sense to me because I thought that undercover jobs are done by highly trained combatant such that when they get into compromised situations, they can always fight their way out. Unfortunately for this movie and every other Nollywood movie that I have watched in this regard, I always see the female undercover being a victim of abuse.

I couldn't help but wonder if that is how it is in reality, because personally, it will not be me sacrificing myself for a story. Again, I think the scene where Oloture was given a pill by her arranged client, and she took it, was pretty dumb because she ought to know better that in such a compromising situation, anything can happen.

Watching that particular scene, I had expected her to be smarter and dispose of the pill; however, that would imply her blowing her cover, and the movie wouldn't have gone as far as it did. It was quite clear that Oloture was desperate for a story, and she would do anything for one.

Another dumb scene was when her supervisor went to attack the client who abused Oloture. Before Oloture joined the group of girls being trafficked to Europe, she handed her journal to her supervisor.

The journal contained her experiences while undercover, and after reading it, one would expect the supervisor to be professional and act wisely. Instead, he went emotional as he sought out the client, who was a powerful politician and attacked him.

He didn't just attack him; he also threatened to expose the politician and informed him of the journal. An action that led to his assassination, as the journal was retrieved by the powerful politician afterwards.

If there was something that I learned from this movie, it is knowing when to draw the line. There is a saying that a performer should leave the stage when the applause is at its loudest, and this movie portrayed it perfectly. Oloture had her story, but like Oliver Twist, she wanted more, which caused her and everyone close to her a lot.

I will rate this movie a 5/10 for effort. If you are a fan of Nollywood it's a fair watch.

Trailer was gotten from youtube

This movie was wonderfully reviewed on my friend's status. The review compelled me to download it, but then I didn't have the time to watch it, so when I went through the downloaded movies on my list, I came across this movie. I said to myself, "This is the right time," and I embarked on the journey of seeing this movie.

The plot

"Echo Valley" tells the story of Kate, who works as a horse trainer on her farm, the Echo Valley. Kate's wife died in an accident, so she finds herself struggling to manage the operations of the farm. Kate seeks financial support from her ex-husband Richard, but he refuses to invest any further in the farm because it isn't yielding a profit.

Richard blames Kate for squandering his money on their daughter Claire, who is a drug addict and has been in and out of rehab. One day, Claire returned home to her mother, but their reunion was interrupted when Claire's boyfriend showed up at the doorstep.

The two had a conversation, which later ended in an argument, which led to Claire leaving the house with her boyfriend, Ryan. After a few days, Claire showed up at the farm again with blood all over her body. Kate asked her whose blood was on her body, and she lied that it was her boyfriend's, Ryan.

A mother who is seeking to protect her daughter from going to jail disposed of the body in a Lake. Kate came back home and reassured Claire that everything was going to be okay, that she had disposed of the body.

Jackie, "someone who Claire owes money to," came to the farm looking for Kate to inform her of the body that was disposed of in the lake, and threatened to report to the police. Jackie manipulated Kate by laundering money from her.

One day Jackie came to the farm and asked Kate to burn the entire barns and give him the money. A lot of things are happening in the movies, like different plot twists, which would make you stay glued to your screen all through the movie. I'm gonna rate this movie an 8/10

My Review

First, I'm gonna focus my attention on the motherly love that was fully present in the movie, which shows how mothers would go the extra mile to ensure that their offspring don't get into trouble. They would rather get themselves into that trouble than let their children experience the consequences of the trouble.

At one point, Claire said, Ryan told her that her mother would do anything for her, which is why he asked her to take the body to her house and tell her mother about it. Indeed, mothers have unconditional love for their children.

I hear people saying the mother was enabling her daughter, I'm not gonna agree with that because parental love hits differently. The movie was incredible, I didn't regret the minutes spent seeing it, it was worth every bit of my time that was spent. The storytelling was fantastic and well-paced, and it kept me engaged all through the movie. Images are screenshots from my phone. I'm gonna rate this movie an 8/10

Thanks for reading 🧡