PREMIERE REVIEWS- Life Of The Billows is a pertinent and timely message.

On the 10th of March, 2017 the first edition of the 2017 drama ministers power night took place and as it’s customary a new Mount Zion movie was premiered, this time it was Life Of The Billows.
What the title directly suggest is the billows of life, while that holds this movie is also titled Life Of The Billows because it’s centered on the life of the Billows, the protagonists are the Billows -Tunde Billows and Sarah/ Laide Billows. The title is fitting and well thought out.
Tunde Billows (Wole Adeyi) , an assistant pastor faces a rough patch in his marriage as his wife Sarah is totally consumed in her work and has no time for him, it’s so bad that he has to book appointments to see her, she doesn’t go to see their dying, only daughter and her room door stays shut against him at night. As much as Tunde tries to fill in for his wifes inadequacy and stomach the gristle she gives him to chew without a frown flickering on his face, he is stretched beyond his capacity, tautened to breaking point.
Mama, (Gloria Bamiloye) Sarahs Mum comes all the way from Nigeria to Dallas Texas to deliver a revelation she had and sound a note of warning to her daughter and son-in-law, they however think she’s being unduly alarmed and they don’t take her seriously. She, Mama knows what she saw, she knows the hunch she’s having in her spirit and so she doesn’t let their words deter her, she prays for them. It doesn’t take long before the Mama-forecast, inextinguishable fire to start.
There are other characters like Roland, Tundes silly buddy and James who goes through a bad phase in his own marriage too and decides to seek counsel from his assistant pastor. James had been praying that the Lord would make his wife like Tundes -I’m sure by now you know that’s the wrongest prayer- and in his quest for counsel, he ends up counseling his counselor.
One can easily predict the twist with Tunde, James and Tundes new squeeze, in fact we expect it, but when it happens it still surprises us, it still makes the hall reverberate with screams. Not unforeseen twists every time, even in life we anticipate somethings but when they happen they still stun us.
The plot is rich and not cliché, Damilola Mike-Bamiloye sure did a great job with the story and screenplay. I love how beautifully, how carefully and truthfully -one can easily connect with the characters, they aren’t too good to be true- the story is crafted, how the fire crackles, explodes and when you think it’s over and want to sigh, another explosion takes you by storm. I love how it’s moderately spiced with unforced, easily flowing mirth.
Gloria Bamiloyes portrayal of the perceptive, spiritual and typical Yoruba Mama, is just on point and is by far the best act in the whole movie. I’m sure you’re not surprised, Gloria Bamiloye is a trouper any day.
I must also give props to Wole Adeyi and every other actor/ actress from Flaming Sword Ministries that star in this movie, they all deliver their roles convincingly. Usually most Mount Zion Foreign Mission movies are usually ruined by wooden acting no matter how great the story line is, one example that quickly comes to my mind is Harmony Deal, but thankfully every thespian in this movie does well.
While the sound quality is topnotch, the pictures come off too garish, I don’t think however, that the garishness of the pictures is a fault from the cinematography, I think it had to do with the manning of the projector. The garishness of the pictures don’t even allow us enjoy the camera angles and aesthetics of the city.
Life Of The Billows is a very pertinent and timely message, watch out for this one.
Written by- Damilola Mike-Bamiloye
Directors- Mike Bamiloye & Damilola Mike-Bamiloye.
Producers- Wole Adeyi & Margret Anenih.
D.O.P- Damilola Mike-Bamiloye.
Background music/sound effects- Joshua Mike-Bamiloye.