Parasite (Korean Movie) - SPOILER

The key take-away for me from this movie is the two poor families. 

The former housekeeper who was the victim of attempted murder, aggravated murder, and finally murder, and the other poor family whose end became their undoing. 

Both families are the same boat. However, the latter chose to exercise false authority over their peer. It is this behavior that saddened me the most. Because you will have those amongst you, who are facing the same harm. 

Yet, some of them will wield whatever advantage they momentarily possess to showcase their importance. Even for all of six seconds.

Twitter and Quote Tweets

Quote tweeting on Twitter is one way to respond to a tweet. I find that people use quote tweets when responding to a tweet they do not agree with. I think this is to avoid having their disagreement be the focus in the replies. It is unclear whether this is the better way to engage rather than replying beneath the tweet.

However....

Be aware of what you amplify.

This message is very evidenced on Twitter. There must be a psychology basis for it but the negative interaction appears to be more lasting, and even more effective than the positive interaction.

Effective at what? At increasing brand awareness. Essentially, there is no such this as bad publicity. It is even the case, perhaps for certain groups, that negative publicity is the key to get every single person discussing your product or service.

The jokes, jabs, insults, derision are how those groups or persons you say you do not care for get their money, attention or visibility. And also protect the community you claim to care about. So you see someone tweet something transphobic for instance. You can speak on transphobia without retweeting the harmful tweet in a bid to "correct" said tweeter. 

It is truly the haters that fuel growth for any person or company in the business of visibility.

Attempt 1

From the brilliant Joy Isi Bewaji. She had a challenge during a screenwriter retreat and I decided to take a stab at it.

The Logline: A middle-aged married woman (MM) finds out she is pregnant for another man, how does she break this shocking news to her 30 year old son (Son)?

INT. SON'S APARTMENT - DAY. MM and Son are in the kitchen/dining area. 
MM is restocking the fridge with containers of various lengths and widths containing cooked food: okro, stewed chicken, efo riro, aluminum foil of jollof rice, a bag of puff puff and another with meat pie.

MM is inspecting the fridge to make sure the containers fit

MM

You should have enough food in here for the next month.

MM turns to look at her son coming into the house carrying groceries and says with slight annoyance

MM

You really should try to clean up this fridge once in a while.
Son places the grocery bags on the floor and puts up his hands in defense. MM closes the fridge.

Son

I try. But you know, it's hard working these consulting hours.
Son walks to his mom and gives her a back hug and kisses her cheek

Son (cont'd)

Which is why I massively appreciate you bringing me these meals. You know you're an amazing cook..chef.
Son steps back and starts putting groceries away

MM (half-amused)

Mhmm mm. Who says I'm the one cooking? I order yours along when I order from (sponsor/freebie: allidoiscook). But there is something serious I need to talk to you about.
Son nods at her while putting the groceries away. MM moves to the counter that separates the kitchen from the dining area.

Son

Yeah, I'm listening. Is everything okay with you and Daddy?
Son stops and turns to his mom in jest

Son (with an eyebrow raised in jest)

Is there another family contribution fund coming up?
Mom sits and speaks bluntly

Mom

I'm having a baby
Son freezes and slowly turns to look at his mom. A can of groceries in his hand

Son (speaks slowly)

Like adop-ting?
MM sighs deeply and speaks gravely, offering a weak smile

MM

Nooo... like the actual carrying and birthing
Son retorts immediately, his face expressing both shock and amusement. His hands open in bewilderment.

Son

For who?
MM slightly cocks her head to the side and raises her eyebrows. She looks down and then looks at her son

MM

Well, that's the thing....
Son's face turns from amusement to anger and hurt. MM takes on a more serious tone and is almost sad.

MM

It's not your dad's.
[the end]

Giving Nollywood Their Flowers: Muna Obiekwe

Source

Nobody does dialogue onscreen like Muna. It may be an exaggeration but I stand by this. Well, as a male Nigerian actor, nobody does dialogue onscreen like Muna Obiekwe. I'm currently watching "Not Man Enough" with Muna, Emeka Ike, and Genevieve, and I am in awe of his je ne sais quoi. He had an effortless energy and he did not even have to shout. The film was directed by Andy Chukwu and produced by Nwafor Anayo. Man we loved Marc Anthony in Nigeria ***swoons**

Muna Obiekwe gave his characters depth, and if the depth was already in the script he cemented it in his acting. He added meaning whether it be as a playful romantic or an unemployed youth. It was truly never a flat surface. He spoke as his character should, and moved as his character should. You could hear the inflections in his voice and it was not a boring repetition of the script. His method was not by unnecessary shouts or wasteful dialogue. He really understood his craft and did his due diligence and that commitment translated beautifully in the film.

His romantic scenes were actually romantic. He may have even made his co-actor a better actor. He had expressive eyes, attentiveness, and a tailored focus. His expression changed as they should, in collaboration with the other characters, his fellow actors, and the script. He was truly enjoyable to watch. He took his acting seriously and also not seriously onscreen. The guy never felt out of place on screen and his words were never heavy as though he was struggling to get them out.

Sidenote - this ish is hard. Coming up with the words to describe his creativity and his works is hard. So I'll do a voicenote as well. But yes, Muna passed and he was gracious enough to share his work with us.

Rest in peace.

Giving Nollywood Their Flowers (GNTF): Prelude

I was inspired by Tracy Clayton's interview with Black American actors where she gives them their flowers, literally and figuratively. It's often the case that when an actor, musician, or novelist dies, their works get an almost instant replay value. It happened with Michael Jackson, Prince, Toni Morrison, Aretha Franklin, John Singleton, Diahann Carroll, etc.

Their songs, books, shows and movies see a surge in relevance almost as if to relive them one last time. Even with me. I was fortunate to see Julia after Ms. Carroll's passing while working out at my apartment gym. And it really was a great show.

But wouldn't it be nice for them to get their flowers before they pass. Fortunately, Tracy and her team were able to do this for John Witherspoon - "Pops" on the Wayans Brothers.

So that's the inspiration for this. Plus I really enjoyed watching Muna Obiekwe on the screen and it's a shame he didn't get his flowers before he died.

Routine Sunday Money Request

[It is a sunny Sunday afternoon. A young woman is sprawled on the bed exhausted in a non-lit room. Her eyes are closed, her arms are spread out, and her legs are dangling. The flat screen tv on her dresser is playing a Nigerian movie, and the audio is on low. We hear the buzz of the air-conditioner and her lazy breathing. She has just completed the first part of her chores. Clean clothes are in the laundry bag waiting to be folder, her stew for the week is simmering in the kitchen, and the bathroom light is on with cleaning products in the entrance].

[Her phone vibrates. She opens her eyes, turns her head and places the phone upright. Her expressionless face is now one of defeat. She closes her eyes and sighs painfully to prepare her for what will follow next. She picks the call]

Kemi: Hello

Voice: (with warm excitement): “Hello Labake, how are you doing my dear?”

Kemi: (sits upright, looking forlorn to her left): “I’m okay, how are you?”

Voice (continues with warmth in her voice): “Happy Sunday. We are doing fine. I just wanted to check on you. How is your Sunday?”

Kemi (gets up and moves to the pile of clean clothes): “It’s okay, not too bad”

Voice (with a tinge of sadness and longing): “Hmm.. we are doing okay oh. Thank God. We’ve managed to cook something small to eat. It has been raining a lot and it finally stopped today.”

Kemi (begins to start folding clothes with the phone tucked between her ear and shoulder): “Oh-ohh, do you guys have light?”

Voice (forlornly): “Ah no, they haven’t brought light for some days now. But we have the gen. And even me sef, I haven’t been feeling too well. But what can we do? There’s no money to go to the doctor. My hand has been aching and I think I came down with malaria sef. And there’s no food in the house even…” (trails on)

[Kemi's expression changes to one of annoyance, and she puts the phone on speaker and on mute and walks out to the kitchen. As the voice continues lamenting the lack of money, she stirs the meat stew and turns off the stove. Then she heads to the bathroom where we a tub stained with cleaner, and the scrubs it down. She taps the mute button to respond with a few “mmh-mmhms”, “eeya”, “oh that’s bad”.]

Voice (continues piling on): “You know the house rent is coming due soon. And your brother is starting NYSC so we have to buy somethings for him. And mama keeps saying hello and always asks what did you bring her..”

Kemi (with phone on mute, shouts angrily): “I SENT YOU MONEY LAST MONTH, WHAT THE FUCK!”

[Her roommate opens her bedroom door with a ceramic bowl in hand and heads to the kitchen not paying attention to Kemi and her family woes. Kemi sighs.

Voice (stops suddenly): “Kemi, are you there?”

Kemi (dejectedly): “Yes I’m here. I’m listening..”

Voice (in high spirits): “Eh-ehn, as I was saying. And we have the funeral for Iya Tope’s husband coming up as well. They have been through so much so we have to help them. And there’s the wedding for Baba Tolu –ah, that man has done a lot for this family especially when we were living in Mushin."

[Kemi is back in her room staring at the clean clothes she planned to fold. As the voice continues, she heads to her desk table, sits down and grabs a pen from a small three-tiered storage bin and starts writing on a nearby writing pad. The pad is a stationary from some diversity event she had attended.]

Kemi (drained): “So that’s how much now?”

Voice (speaking plainly): “So that will be 600 for the house rent, 200 for your brother’s NYSC, let’s say 50 for the funeral, another 50 for the wedding…”

[The voice now changes tone to a light-hearted one and chuckles slightly. Kemi is visibly annoyed and rolls her eyes.]

Voice (teasingly): “Ehn you know you have to add some for us too now”

Kemi (trying to hide her annoyance): “Speak clearly, because I don’t understand. I don’t live there so I don’t know how much things cost or what would be enough or not.

Voice (slightly alarmed): “Ah! O ti ya bin, ah ma binu. Sorry my dear, I’m just saying to add something for us, you know there is no food at home.

Kemi (facepalms): “Just give me an amount”

Voice (forlornly): “Ah whatever you can manage is fine”

Kemi (not amused): “And if one-thousand naira is all I can manage nko?”

Voice (pleadingly): “Ah ahn Labake, don’t do that now. Okay – put sixty thousand for us for the rest of the year. Oh sorry my dear.”

Kemi (writes numbers down, pulls out calculator beside her): “Okay, send me these amounts on Whatsapp and I’ll let you know when I’ll send the amounts."

Voice (gladly): "Ah thank you my dear. Omo a ke iwo no, o ni shile ya (several prayers for her success and to not meet badluck).

[Kemi looks sad and depressed while her mother prays.]

Kemi: “Okay, I’ll talk to you later. Bye Bye”

Voice (happy): “Okay bye my dear, take care. Have a blessed week”

[Kemi hangs up and collapses on the bed. She crawls underneath the covers and pulls her phone closer to her. The twitter app shows and she’s mindlessly scrolling through her timeline.]

[Fades out]

Happy Independence

I keep pondering the Nigerian issue and there are a lot of them.

But above all, we seem to want to lord over people.
We want to flex our authority over people
We are not