Lions for Lambs

Lions for Lambs

Labels: Tyler Perry

As if we needed further proof that quantity doesn't always mean quality, Tyler Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail" set a few personal and studio box office records by grossing $41.1 million over the weekend! First, let me congratulate Tyler Perry, then Lionsgate Films, and finally you for proving that we want mindless entertainment. The source doesn't matter, Reality TV, Souljah Boy Tell'Em or Tyler Perry, we don't want to think, we want to laugh.

You're looking at your monitor strangely now huh? Oh, we don't? I'm not sure about you, but when I spend my $50 to go to the movies, I like to not only be entertained, but enlightened, have some sort of intellectual stimulation. Yes, even through comedy, I do not like to have my intelligence insulted.

Before you stop reading... Tyler Perry has trotted out the same storyline time after time through stage and screen (and thanks to TBS, he's doing it every week on television) and you buy it! Time after time, you spend good money to see the same thing, again and again and again. Why? Oh yeah, it's positive. There's no cussing, no shoot 'em up bang bang, die nigga die, no explicit sex or pervasive drug use. Its good wholesome, family fun right?

How positive is it when your lead character is a caricature of our grandmothers, mothers and aunts? Is it positive when poor grammar is not only acceptable, but hilarious (i.e. Mr. Brown and Madea)? How positive is it when the films lack PMI (Positive Male Imagery)? When those repetitive storylines show that we cannot maintain healthy, effective relationships, is that also positive? How positive is it when your consumption of poorly scripted, poorly acted films makes it nearly impossible for Black filmmakers and actors?

Can't you decipher the entire film before the credits are finished rolling? You know someone's gonna be done wrong, someone's gonna be on drugs, someone's man is going to be Ike Turner reincarnate. Those someone's are gonna go to church or have a spiritual awakening and their fortunes will be changed by the time they caught the Holy Ghost!

Maybe I take things too seriously, maybe I read too deeply into everything, because you left the theatre with quite a few laughs. However, Lionsgate and Tyler Perry took in the lion's share of the profits and I'm left thinking the lions led the lambs to the slaughter...again!