About a fortnight ago I decided to go see the Wolverine starring Hugh Jackman at the Silverbird Cinema situated within the Accra Mall. As I sat there watching some of the scenes I couldn’t help but be impressed with how far the western world has advanced in film technology. The special effects were just amazing. As I was marvelling at the prowess of American filmmakers I asked myself, “When will the Ghanaian movie industry be able to boast of such productions?”

Have you ever seen an action sequence in Ghanaian movies? I get that we want to portray our culture and the whole shebang but, how many producers really sit down to examine the material they put out for public consumption? Most of our movies are like soap operas.

If it’s not about lovebirds that face challenges as others stand in the way of their happiness, then it’s about cults and the sakawa brouhaha.

Do we remember the days of “TV Theatre”? People were seated in front of their TV sets by 8:30pm just to enjoy an original production. Ultimate Paradise was another that had us admiring the mother-daughter duo (Rama Brew & Michelle Attoh) as they warmed our hearts with their acting and French-speaking capabilities.

Now, most of what we see on our screens are performances from what I consider, a majority talentless ladies whom with their fake lashes and overabundant makeup, not only look like caricatures but tend to irritate with their fake LAFA.

I’m not leaving the men out either; funnily enough, Miss Leila Djansi of Sinking Sands fame happens to agree with my perception of Mr. Frank Artus’ acting skills (as she stated on facebook that those who love the guy should tell him to stop acting).

Many of our movies are made by people who have little formal training (especially the local productions), and with small budgets, and their stories typically consist of homegrown pop-culture pulp. Are we to congratulate or rue its market-driven ascendancy? It’s obvious they are only looking to make a quick buck.

Of all these issues, there is still that dying hope as some Ghanaian directors/producers like Shirley Frimpong Manso and Leila Djansi’s productions have given us a glimpse of what I pray is a harbinger of things to come if we plan to break grounds in the global entertainment industry.

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