Two Thumbs Up for Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry has outdone himself with his latest Madea movie: Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas starring Anna Maria Horsford, Tika Sumpter, Eric Lively and Tyler Perry.

photo credit: google images

The plot was based on a young middle school teacher, Madea's niece, Lacey, (Sumpter) who sought the help of an ex-boyfriend and savvy businessman in an attempt to keep the school's Christmas jubilee from being cancelled. But the extended help came with expectations that caused tension among several of the students' parents.

 Like most of Perry's movies, the viewers are exposed to multiple storylines, which involve, a meddling mother (Horsford,) a sketchy business contract, initiated by Lacey's ex and an angry parent, played by Chad Michael Murray, whose temper adds more drama to the mix.

As usual Tyler Perry delivered an excellent combination of comedy and drama. However, unlike most of his other movies, the drama portion of this film was not as extreme but instead more relatable to the average person.

The best scenes of this movie, of course involved Madea and her wicked temper and offbeat sense of humor but I must say every character was likeable and fun to watch. Even the most unlikeable characters in the film had a story that made viewers sympathize and relate to them. The chemistry exhibited by the cast members was absolutely fantastic.

Anyone who enjoys a good Christmas comedy, with a bit of drama and tons of Madea fun, must watch this movie!

                                                    
                                                     photo credit: google images

photo credt: google images

 

Mixed Feelings: Homefront

While this movie was filled with talented and well known actors, the plot discouraged my perception of them.

Jason Statham plays Phil Broker, a former undercover agent whose past assignment gained him an enemy with a meth dealer. Prior to being arrested, the dealer proclaimed vengeance on Broker.

Two years after the drug bust, Broker moved himself and his little girl to a new town, where he made new enemies with connections to the drug dealer he busted. This turned into a full on war.

Throughout the movie, I was torn between excitement and hate. Though I have always enjoyed a good action packed movie, I found this film to be a bit dark for my taste. I was most affected by the scenes that involved the child; I could not bare to watch grown men and women go after an innocent young girl.

For those who enjoy movies with non-stop action and suspense, this is the perfect film to watch. But if you dislike graphic and disturbing visuals, this may not be the film for you.

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Christmas Bounty is a Christmas steal

I was recently flipping through the channels and came across this ABC Family original movie, starring Francia Raisa (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) and WWE's The Miz. Though this movie is not in theaters, it is a must see for viewers of all ages.

Raisa plays Tori Bell, a former bounty hunter who received a threatening phonecall from the man she put away while still in high school. He escaped from prison, forcing Tori to uproot her new life in Manhattan and return to the family business in New Jersey to put this man away for good.

This movie has action, humor and a great love triangle between Tori, her fiance James (Will Greenberg) and her ex-boyfriend/fellow bounty hunter, Mike (The Miz.)

Througout this fun loving flick, I found myself completely captivated, mostly by Raisa's character. She was a combination of sweet and fiesty and really made the movie what it was. All I kept thinking was how different yet at the same time, similar her character was from Adrian on The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

If you like action packed movies with a side of humor and romance, you should definitely check this movie out. You will be as hooked as I was.

                                     photo credit: google images

 

A Must See: Last Vegas

This movie, filled with legendary actors like Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline, will have viewers laughing and crying from beginning to end.

The story is about a group of friends in their sixties who travel to Las Vegas for a "wild weekend" to celebrate their buddy's engagement.

 Each character in this heartwarming comedy had their own humorous, yet touching story that a lot of older viewers will be able to relate to, like over protective children, grieving widowers and young at heart men who can't seem to find true love.

As I was watching this movie, I kept thinking of The Hangover. It was like a glimpse into the future for Phil, Stu and Alan. One scene in particular brought me back to the scenario in the first movie when the dynamic trio was passed out in their hotel room with a tiger hiding in their bathroom.

But unlike The Hangover, there were not as many extremes. The trouble these friends got into was more relatable which made the movie that much more fun to watch. And like every good movie there was conflict and a surprising twist.

Overall, I felt this was a very creative movie that could not only attract the interest of an older crowd but also spark hilarity among younger generations.

photo credit: google images