You oughta Meet the Browns

First let me say happy birthday to my eldest! Love you, Princess! Make each moment a makeover! ;-)

Now Tyler Perry is at it once more, with Meet the Browns - you'll be with the likes of family. The cast is chock full of surprises - I particularly enjoyed discovering one of them was who played Suge Avery in the movie, The Color Purple - a Margaret Avery who has done a host of films herself. Check out what I said about her in my Diary Music post. You have basketball star and actor Rick Fox, the very talented Angela Bassett, Ms. Jenifer Lewis (remember her in The Preacher's Wife - well she has a lot of work under her belt), and David and Tamela J. Mann, spouses, who have a history of Tyler Films.

While being crazy along with Madea's cameo, this is a different Tyler, but the movie speaks of kinfolk and friends, strugglin', raising children in difficult environments and tough love, and much more. Some critics say its a step back, but I think its an expansion of Tyler. Angela took you right into her role. For me, she and the Browns touched the heart of home.

Look for more from Tyler according to imdb.com -

1. A Jazz Man's Blues (2009) (pre-production)
2. Madea Goes to Jail (2009) (filming)
3. The Family That Preys (2008) (filming)

Movie Ministry on Why Married?

I was lookin' all over for this the other day and finally blogged without it - but here's what Movie Ministry says about Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?

...this year, on a trip to Colorado, one couple's marital problems explode, and everyone else becomes collateral damage. Director Tyler Perry explores betrayal, confession, repentance, and reconciliation within a circle of friends willing to go the distance for each other.
Big Ideas: Confession is the first step to forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
Topics: Confession Restoration Repentance Forgiveness
Scripture: 1 John 1:8-9 James 5:14-16.

It's a very good source for Christ-minded movie watching and related discussions; their theme is see the truth.

So why haven't I talked about Why Did I Get Married?

Well as much as I've wanted to and am eager to support this, I haven't seen it yet. Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?, I fully expect to be as rewarding as all of Perry's work I've seen. If you check out his site, you'll see he has more work coming down the road - looks like next year Madea is going to jail!

The New York Times review says “Why Did I Get Married?” follows four couples who meet each year for a therapeutic vacation. Friends since college, they converge to discuss their relationships and address marital difficulties. This being a Tyler Perry film, there is much to discuss; we also know there will be secrets revealed, sermons delivered and forgiveness sought. Sounds like it would be a worthy couple's study's endeavor. I'll see it soon - and to be sure, you'll hear from me.

Meanwhile look what I came across - This Christmas! Moviefone says of the film, the Whitfied siblings have come home for the first time in years and they've brought plenty of baggage with them....secrets are revealed and family bonds are tested. As their lives converge, they join together and help each other discover the true meaning of family - in an all-star cast including some of my favorites -Loretta Devine, Idris Elba (remember him from Daddy's Little Girls), Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Mekhi Phifer.

The week wrap up

Highlights (or the high life :-) - as opposed to low life); hmmm.... I'm reminded of Madea's Family Reunion when the character Carlos (Blair Underwood) references "the highs and lows of me".

• The husband and I decided last night to go to Tony Roma's. It's a favorite of ours - we've become Roma Rib Experts - their birthday club. For starters, we had a half of their signature Onion Loaf 'giant hand-cut Spanish onions, breaded, deep fried and served with house BBQ dipping sauce. For the main course he had their Beef Ribsters while I had the St. Louis Ribs - mine were accompanied by Loaded Mashed Potatoes while his were surrounded by Ranch Style Beans and French Fries. It wasn't very veggie; but yumm! We accummulated two more doggy containers - a total of 7 now (remember Red Robin's and Denny's?). It's really nice to get off on our own sometime - but I guess we'll need to eat these delicious leftovers some time. But there's another Black Angus trip next week!
  
  
• Okay now that might be working against our newest endeavor - to exercise at home. We want to get a Weider Max Resistance System Gym - this puppy even has rowing; its on order and arriving in a few weeks. If there's another word for stoked, that'd be me. This is a project we'll both enjoy. I've never been much to stick to clubs, or diet programs, or aerobic stuff - but I've always enjoyed strength training and with its rower, its gotta be a great workout.
  
  
• The other thing that we have been doing is on the edge-of-our-seats watching the television series 24, a not so highly aerobic activity unless you count heart racing. We've become addicts, owning a dvd set for every season. We watched last season just in time to be ready for the season opener - two nights/two hours - but we were able to record it on our DVR and watch it at our convenience. And now we wait with baited breath... what of Jack Bauer now? - the man's even has a full blown history.

Tyler's fresh at it again!

My girlfriend in Florida just alerted me to this newflash for Tyler Perry fans everywhere - Daddy's Little Girls comes in February from Lionsgate films (which also brought you Akeelah and the Bee (highly recommended by my friend Nicole, - Keke Palmer, the star, of which you’ve seen in another Tyler Perry film). Just this teaser glimpse of the film let's you know it'll be one of Tyler's finest works.

The cast is awesome; Tyler has a way of getting a calibre of artist that really brings reality to his films. Gabrielle Union you may remember from Bad Boys II or Deliver Us from Eva; her work also includes Something the Lord Made, Love & Basketball and has a holiday movie coming out next year Perfect Christmas. Idris Elba I first encountered in The Gospel as a dislikeable husband/minister he makes you understand through his excellent performance. There is the esteemable Lou Gossett Jr., who has a host of films coming out in 2007, and had a presidential role in Left Behind III: World at War among his litany of performances. Tracee Ellis Ross is from my all time favorite, A Fare to Remember.

Don't this just look like a high kleenex rating? Now all I can do is wait with baited breath!

Diary music

Revisiting Diary, the final songs sung by Tamela Mann, Father Can You Hear Me and Take It to Jesus and the whole surrounding scene just brings me to tears - everytime I watch it (yes I have frequent viewer - FV - miles) - sometimes I start it right where this scene begins.

A similar movie that also always gets me that way is the singing Maybe God Is Tryin' To Tell You Somethin' (don't you feel that way sometimes - somethin' that really needs to be heard) by Suge Avery as she enters the church a sinner reconciling with her self-estranged minister dad in Spielberg's The Color Purple (Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, to name a few) based on the book written by one of my favorite authors, Alice Walker - but I won't get started on all of that. I will say this movie was chock full of stellar performances; and it was robbed of the 'Oscar' that year. Still The Color Purple doesn't get as many FV Miles because it hurts the heart so to watch - there is so much pain in this movie.

I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field and don't notice it.

Can you imagine? We walk by God's creations of beauty obliviously all the time - even when you count the times you notice.

2005 - Yikes, the year of Ike?

I oddly realized I had heard two Ike Turner references in movies I had recently watched. One was Diary of a Mad Black Woman - it is near the end - you almost miss it, even though it is one of the first ones. "C'mon Ike Turner, go on out there and get her". The other was the Wedding Crashers' "Wow, we're getting a great preview of what marriage is gonna be like with Ike Turner over here". Strangely enough both were released in 2005. So I wondered how common an occurrence Ike quotes were, and came across these others from imdb.com:

Oh, yeah. Hair like wool, skin like bronze. It's in your Bible. Jesus probably looked more like Ike Turner, but without that "I'm gonna beat ya, woman" look in his eyes.

Duck, Duck, Goose! (2005)

Where would Tina Turner be right now if she'd rolled over and said, "Hit me again, Ike, and put some stank on it!"? Rollin' on the river, that's where she'd be. But she's beyond Thunderdome, because she decided to send a message? [yells] Wake up, sisters! There is nooooooo such thing as a weaker sex! Liar Liar (1997)

Dionne and her boyfriend Murray are in this dramatic relationship. I think they've seen that Ike and Tina Turner movie too many times. Clueless (1995)

Question number three: Given Ted's obsession with colorizing things, is it possible he's the unwanted love child of Ike and Tina Turner? "Mystery Science Theater 3000" (1988).

I also found Ike Turner, Official web site for The Father of Rock and Roll. The movie What's Love Got to Do with It about Ike and Tina Turner was actually released in 1993. Okay I am going to try to return from the abstract. I'm rollin, rollin on the river...on out of here for now.

lost diaries

In this movie of touching romance with the african-american and christian circumstance, Diary of a Mad Black woman (Kimberly Elise, the Practice's Steve Harris, Shemar Moore, Tyler Perry) speaks deeply to restoration from brokenness for anyone - one of those things our God is about - this state of being lost manifests in many forms - hurt, our fault, God's rebuilding, fear, pride. The lost sometimes don't even know they are lost! I prefer the movie over the play - the story is more fully encompassing. It's a remarkable and wise glimpse into the process of recovery .

A conversation between the Kimberly's character and her mama (Cicely):

"You know I know this man put a hurtin' on you baby, but you've got to forgive him. No matter what he done, you've got to forgive him - not for him, but for you."
"Forgive him for me?"
"When some body hurts you they take power over you, if you don't forgive them then they keeps the power. Forgive him baby and after you forgive him, forgive youreself. "

Now ain't that the truth!

My hats off to Tyler Perry and his work. they can be a little earthy, but while keeping it funny (most often hilarious), he keeps it deeply and spiritually real with characters we all know in our own lives - c'mon, you know you know someone! And Cicely Tyson is always a joy to see perform. Adding to Reunion - don't get me started on that one - I cant wait to complete the Madea collection; I've got some work to do!