Pajiba

Well it's good to know you already know you're full of shit, hence this defensive missive. It's completely possible that you're right, but your dismissal of the play entirely doesn't make me want to respect your opinion.

So I had not seen Diary of a Mad Black Woman until recently, when it was on Lifetime and on in the background while I was over at a friend's house. The brief moments I caught involved a lot of hilarious fat black lady costuming.

But then.

BUT THEN.

It turned into the most fucked up thing I've ever seen in a wide-released film. The main character beats her paraplegic husband within an inch of unconsciousness, leaves him stranded on the floor for a longass implied amount of time, and then nearly drowns him in the bathtub.

That shit was crazy. Advertise your movies properly, Perry.

I want this to work so bad. I really, truly do. The source play is beautifully written. The cast is very good. It even seems like Tyler Perry managed to find a driving narrative in a more meandering type of play.

But I don't want to get my hopes up over a Tyler Perry film. Not since Aaron McGruder ruined any appreciation I have for the work with his excellent Boondocks episode "Pause." I just can't trust this.

Oh, but how I want to. Nothing would make me happier than for this to be a big critical hit with long-running commercial legs. Really. I just don't see it happening with Tyler Perry at the helm.

It don't matter. This sh*t is gonna make him tons of cash.

Dustin you're better than me. I'm a black female and I haven't seen one o Tyler's movies in completion, nor do I intend to.

@Marie - Exactly.
@Candy - I'm a black woman, too, and I see no point in seeing any of his weird movies.

Robert, George Lucas is a whale because he makes a ton of cash by knowing his audience. He knows his audience so well that he’s going to release star wars in bluray with the parts included that his fans despise. But he knows that in spite of his fan’s displeasure he’s still going to make a zillion dollars. Now you may not like Perry’s formula and his predictability, and I will admit that at times it grates on me also but despite that, his fans eat that shit up. Couple that with the fact that Hollywood only understands dollars and Perry understands and gives his audience what they want, I think that this film will be a huge success for Perry, and when I say success I don’t mean TK’s notion of success, but real tangible success.

Ah, Pookie. The sad truth is that if you actually knew my sister or her work, you'd likely love her.

But you're too busy being a contrarian and trying to find fault in everyone around you.

TK, the opposite of being a contrarian is someone that goes along with whichever way the wind is blowing. Now when it comes to Perry, since when did I ever agree with anything you guys have ever said about Perry? I don’t know her work because I have no interest in stage or theater, and before you start, I think that stage and theater work is very demanding, it is probably even more demanding that actually making a film. It was not my intent to throw stones at your sister, I was trying to make a joke that fell very flat. I apologize.

Appreciate that, Pooks.

Julia Roberts won an Oscar. Halle Berry won an Oscar. Cher won an Oscar. Anything is possible.

It's going to be fucking terrible, I'm really pissed off that he's making it, and never underestimate Hollywood's desire to pander to black people while at the same time doing nothing for black actors, thus practically forcing them to appear in Tyler Perry presents My Butthole starring Brown Eye and Tyler Perry, a movie that delves deeply into the world of single buttholes everywhere and encourages us to examine our own perceptions of said buttholes, and the sequel Your Butthole which explores the criticism that buttholes in America face on a daily basis. Then rounding off the trilogy will be Our Buttholes which explore the relationship between your butthole and my butthole. And don't miss the prequel, Butthole Crack which will discuss the drug problems in the community and other thug lyfe issues.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Academy nominated this dumb no talent black assclown. for an Oscar so all the whiteys can high five themselves for being evolved and post-racial.

This is the age of Obama, whitey! Buttholez should win ALL THE OSCARZ.

Spike Lee may be annoying, but at least he's a good director, that dumb movie with the blackface an the tapdancing notwithstanding.

Tyler Perry hasn't made one good movie. NOT ONE.

fuck tyler perry. fuck him in his stupid butthole.

fuck oprah too.

with such a powerhouse cast of black actors, the academy almost HAS to nominate this movie.

GODDAMNIT.

see what i mean?

somebody just shoot me.

Fair enough Pookie. Or it might do what the Christopher Columbus version of Rent did to me. For which I forever questioned my friends taste in musical theater after watching it.

It could go either way.

I have a bad feeling its going to end up like when strangers with candy did a raisin in the sun.

I think someone's at the wrong website...

What bothers me more than anything about this is that this film was originally adapted and optioned by Nzingha Stewart, with help and approval from Shange. The story goes that Stewart sought Perry's help to get her foot in the door, but then she was basically eventually pushed off the project after awhile. I think she's still a producer, perhaps even an executive producer, but once Perry got involved, he magically ended up directing the thing.

Women direct about 6% of the movies in Hollywood today. It is so disappointing that a source work that resonates with so many women of color was taken out of the hands of the women who loved it and crafted an adaptation, only to be given to a man for its big screen version. It's just another example of Hollywood telling women that we're not good for anything except looking pretty (and occasionally performing well) on screen, and we can't even be trusted to tell our own stories.

As opposed to stating the true reason that they don’t like Perry, they recruited the boondocks to be their official spokesman on all things Perry.

Or...you know...they got tired of reiterating the same damn points over and over again, especially with you whining every damn time. Plus, it really did break down the essence of what is wrong with Perry's work. And claiming such shorthand references are somehow less valid is NOT an effective counterargument.

No, you are not a contrarian. You are a douchenozzle. One who managed to become inexplicably popular with the Pajiba audience. You have your role, and you play it well. That is pretty much the opposite of "contrary".

By the way, since you did bring up the topic of people repeating the same defense, I am utterly shocked that you managed to bring up that it is okay that Perry is bad, because he still makes money. We would have never taken that into consideration without your glaring insight. Money makes up for crap. The scales hath fallen from mine eyes now.

@Amanda6

GIRL. Not only that, I heard that Nzingha Stewart was originally tapped to direct it too. I saw the trailer and disagree with most opinions expressed so far: it actually seems like a good trailer.

The film: I was originally opposed to watching this, but I just might. The reason why: the cast and the script. When I saw everyone who's featured in it, I was like "GODDAMN that's a strong-ass cast!". Most of the actresses are top notch and have been handling heavy material since long before Perry's proselytizing-ass stage play days. Plus - IT'S NOT HIS SCRIPT. I originally thought that it was him who adapted it, so glad that I was wrong. Because of that, I don't really see how him influencing the film so strongly.

I'm gonna wait for it to come out on DVD though.

I would highly recommend you read the play/poems. It's powerful.

As for this trailer... I mean, I'm going to go see it, no mater how crappy this looks, because if it doesn't do well, Hollywood will simply shrug it's shoulders and go "Oh well! We tried!" and keep trudging along as usual.

The man can't direct. Its a fact. But he also can't write, makes editors worse at there job and makes DP's wish they were dead. It is a shame that so many talented actors must agree to star in his shit because there is no work for talented black actors in Hollywood.

Damn, y'all. I'm between a pimp and a hard place because, yes Tyler Perry's movies have not a damn bit of subtlety in them but...

I urge you to fast forward the trailer to 1:52 and pause. It's Phylishia Muthafuckin Rashad y'all.

I will forever love that woman for having given me the "Fun With the Wretched" episode and the Vanessa smackdowns and I will follow her wherever she goes and dish out my hard-earned money to see any project in which she's involved. Of course that will mean lining up Tyler Perry's pockets but...

Fuck Tyler Perry, I am supporting the group of wonderful actors in what may be a mess (but I'm hoping is not).

Who knows? This may actually be Tyler Perry's first decent movie. Eh, stranger things have happened.

IT WAS THE BEST MOVIE I"VE SEEN IT 3X's NOW.It resonated with so many woman I know or known. Most of you will never understand unless you can relate to it. 5thumbs up!!!!!!