I've been away working on other projects, and this poor blog has suffered. I could have continued with the easy Wordless Wednesday posts, but I felt I should do more than that. I can't make any promises, but as soon as things slow down, I should be back. Keep your fingers crossed. Or not. Whatever floats your boat.
During a rather slow period, around my last post, I watched about 15 movies in three weeks. I checked out seven rentals at my local library. While choosing, I noticed they had "This Is Your Lucky Day" section. There were a few choices, including The Descendants with George Clooney, and For Colored Girls. My mother had wanted to see For Colored Girls, so I decided to go with that. Now, my mother is not one for seeing movies, so this piqued my interest but I should have seen it as a red flag.
My problem with For Colored Girls is it was heavy. While many may say it lightened up at the end. I don't see it that way. It was depressing from beginning to end. The sad thing is that Tyler Perry tried to lighten it at the end. By that time it was too little and too late.
I can't rightly say anyone shined. (Here comes spoilers, but really, don't waste your time.) I think because I was up in arms over the rape scene and then the children's demise scene, nothing could shine from that. But I was wrong. One shining part: Maybe it was Janet's delivery, but I think it was Ntozake Shange's words that got me. Her "sorry" poem was on point. It resonated.
The men in the movie were your typical no-good men. Hill Harper's character wasn't a no-good man, but did not stand out. I was not impressed at all with anybody. Again, I may be colored (pun intended) by those two scenes and nothing could improve this film for me after that.
I've seen and read so many stories about rape and date rape, that whatever emotion Tyler Perry wanted me to have, I can guarantee I did not have it. When the guy asked her to cook dinner for him on the second date, I was already thinking "red flag." And this was my second red flag. My exact thought was "but they've only had one date?!" How could this woman go from barely giving him the time of day to being okay with cooking for him at her apartment on the second date?! My circle and I don't roll that way. What it boils down to is while Perry had limited time to share her story, he did not use his time wisely. He rushed to the rape so we could understand her pain in Shange's words. Because of that, the rape scene was just annoying. I usually get very upset at rape scenes, but I was annoyed.
I got more annoyed at the children's murder scene. One woman was able to climb down all those stairs and alert everyone about the dangling children, but nobody tried to do anything?! Really? What a cold and callous street. What Perry could have done, was have people make a commotion to get Janet out of her limo, while Phylicia Rashad rushed down the stairs in vain. Have Janet and several people head over there but everyone is too late. That was two small children being dangled out a window. Mr. Perry, on any busy street like what you shot, somebody would have been moving.
I had to cleanse my palette with comedies before I could watch another drama or thriller. I didn't even watch The Book of Eli because I was having issues getting rid of the stench that was For Colored Girls.
Imagine my surprise when this news story came out.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/watch-nyc-bus-driver-steven-st-bernard-catches-7-year-old-girl-after-3-story-fall/
What did it do? It proved my point. Whether they are too late or whether they are successful, someone will try to do something in that situation.
Steve St. Bernard saw a little girl playing on an air conditioner, and he high-tailed it over there to catch her and catch her he did. As a matter of fact, several people tried to do something.
See the movie at your own risk. And if you saw, did you like it? If you did, tell me what you liked.
