#52 "Diary of a Mad Black Woman"

Stats: 2005. Starring Kimberly Elise, Steve Harris, Tyler Perry, and Shemar Moore. PG-13.

Background: This is the first Tyler Perry movie I saw snippets of—back when I had cable (those were the days!), TBS ran it non-stop some weekends. So I knew the basic plot, and when I saw it in Walmart’s $5 bin, I couldn’t pass it up. (A Tyler Perry movie for $5? I don’t know if I’m even capable of passing that up!)

Plot: Helen (Elise) and Charles (Harris) have a seemingly perfect marriage—at least to those looking in from the outside. In reality, Helen has quietly suffered while Charles carries on affairs, physically abuses her, and demeans her existence. On their 18th wedding anniversary, he throws her out of the house, announcing his mistress—with whom he has two children—is moving in. Enter Orlando (Moore), the man hired to load up Helen’s belongings and take her wherever she needs to go. This is definitely not a “meet cute” kind of situation, and Helen soon kicks Orlando out of the truck—basically because he’s a man?—and goes to stay with her grandmother, Madea (Perry). Helen and Orlando meet again, and he slowly wins her heart. Just as he’s proposing, she learns that her soon-to-be-ex-husband (the divorce petition had been granted and they were in the 30-day waiting period) has been shot. She rushes to the hospital, where his mistress is prepared to let him die. Helen insists the doctors do everything they can to save Charles, and after he is released, she returns to their home to care for him. Will she choose love with Orlando or revenge with Charles?

Reactions: Yes, there are things I dislike about this movie. Sometimes it seems too “play like” (and this film was adapted from the Tyler Perry play of the same name)—such as when Madea takes a chainsaw to Charles’s furniture, saying half of it should belong to Helen. Madea’s brother Joe (Perry again) is a crass, perverted old man. And I hate the way Helen devolves into a raging “mad black woman” while taking care of Charles. It also bothers me that Helen leaves Charles after he’s repented and truly changed.

The positives outweigh the negatives in my opinion. Madea is absolutely hilarious (I know she’s an acquired taste, though—I couldn’t stand her in the first few Tyler Perry movies I saw), even though her advice is truly terrible! I love the story line with Brian (also Perry) and his wife. She became a junkie, leaving him to raise their two children. Eventually, she goes through rehab and returns home—where Brian welcomes her with open arms. Cecily Tyson as Helen’s mother is a wise woman who loves the Lord and her daughter—in that order. She is the one who urges Helen to truly forgive Charles and stop using her new position of authority in his life to abuse him as he abused her in the past. Also, Shemar Moore is pretty easy on the eyes!

Have Tyler Perry's movies gotten better in the years since Diary of a Mad Black Woman came out? Absolutely. But this is an enjoyable film in its own right, and it's one I'll watch again.

Verdict: Keep

#51 "August Rush"

Stats: 2007. Starring Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers. PG.

Background: I saw August Rush with my mom and sister at our favorite theater—The Warren in Wichita, Kansas. The Warren is like an old-time theater—the workers wear white gloves, a velvet curtain rises when it’s time for the film, and they even (sometimes, though I haven’t seen one in a long time) have cartoon shorts. It’s my favorite place to see a movie.

I recently picked this up out of Walmart’s $5 bin. So many of my favorite movies end up there; why don’t I just wait?

Plot: Evan is the product of a one-night stand. He’s never known either of his parents, but he believes they’re looking for him … and he believes music will bring them together. As he searches for his parents, he joins up with a group of young street musicians (this is where he gets the stage name "August Rush") and then earns a scholarship to a Juilliard.

Reaction: I love this movie—with one caveat; I absolutely cannot stand the Robin Williams plot line. (Williams plays Wizard, the "father figure" for the musicians.) I know it’s important to the story, but I just hate it! In the future, I’m pretty sure I’ll be fast forwarding his scenes.

August Rush is completely unbelievable, yet also completely charming. It's a heartwarming story that I'm sure I'll enjoy again and again.

Verdict: Keep