1. Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail (Lionsgate, 2,032 Theaters, 103 Minutes, Rated PG-13): So, the long progression of films that pay flattery to Tyler Perry’s ego finally reaches its apex. He finally gets around to adapting the play which has his Medea character in the forefront. Yay!
The film aparently focuses on the irrascible Medea, who is Perry in old-age drag, who has finally gone and got herself arrested an thrown in jail. And then, jailarity ensues.
I think the world is just about done with Tyler Perry. He has finally gotten to the level of total overexposure. His last several films has been doing progressively worse and worse at the box office. This one will either be the last nail in the coffin or, and I hope not, a revitalization of the mileu.
2. Fired Up (Sony/Screen Gems, 1,810 Theaters, 94 Minutes, Rated PG-13): There are two types of movies I just don’t trust: Horror films rated PG-13, and teen sex comedies rated PG-13. We have the latter case here.
The premise focuses on two horny teenage boys who decide to attend cheerleading camp on the reason that there would be among hundreds of women. In other words, easy pickins.
With that storyline and a poster that features the letters “F” and “U” so prominantly, you’d expect a ribald movie where anything goes. However, with the film being rated PG-13, there has to be a lot that didn’t go. The result is probably a rather tame, toothless comedy.
