LAST VEGAS (2013) – My rating: 7/10

Last Vegas is a pretty good movie.  Michael Douglas (Billy), Morgan Freeman (Archie), Robert Di Nero (Paddy) and Kevin Kline (Sam)  are best friends from childhood.  Now senior citizens, they get together to attend a wedding in Las Vegas.  Michael Douglas is getting married to someone half his age and is not in good favor with one of the members of this elite party of long time friends.  It seems they butted heads years ago because Paddy’s wife died and Billy didn’t attend the funeral, among other things.  To complicate matters more, they meet a singer in Las Vegas, Diana (Mary Steenburgen) and both Paddy and Billy fall for her.  Eventually they suck up their differences and the journey continues. Last Vegas is  a lesson in friendship, trust and doing the right thing.  An enjoyable movie with a wholesome message.  Now that it’s out on DVD,  I think it’s certainly worth checking into.  There are some very funny moments and its interesting to see how the team works out all their problems.  

BAGGAGE CLAIM (2014) – My rating: 7/10

Baggage Claim is an average girly flick about the oldest daughter, out of 3 sisters, who is still not married or engaged.  Paula Patton plays Montana, the daughter of an annoying mother, played by Jenifer Lewis.  Hunks like Taye Diggs, Djimon Hounsou, Boris Kodjoe and Tyler Lepley ended up in hot pursuit of Montana but none were worthy.  Montana wanted to please her mother by getting married and providing her with grandchildren but just wasn’t feeling any of her suitors.  Montana’s best friend, played by Derek Luke, lives in the same apartment building with his fiancé and is always lending her a shoulder to cry on.  Montana is a flight attendant whose co workers/friends are Jill Scott who plays Gail and Adam Brody who plays Sam.  Together, they pull out all the stops to help Montana find someone, within 30 days, to take to her sister’s rehearsal dinner. At this point, she would do anything to get her family off her back about getting married.  The pressure is on since her sister’s marriage will leave Montana as the only woman in the family not to have taken the plunge.  Baggage Claim is a cute film that holds a cute message.  Worth seeing on DVD.

A MADEA CHRISTMAS (2013) – My rating: 6.5/10

Okay, I reckon most of you think this movie is a bad choice.  There are so many other films I could have reviewed but hey, give a brother (Tyler Perry) a break!  I didn’t elect to be depressed or weepy so I picked a movie that was upbeat and funny.  And FUNNY it was!  The acting was so so — some of the actors were familiar to me and a welcome site.  The story is about Lacey (Tika Sumpter), a Black teacher and Conner (Eric Lively), a White semi, quasi chemist,  married and living together on a farm.  His parents (played by Larry the Cable Guy and Kathy Najimy) were made aware of their son’s union but Lacey’s mom (Anna Maria Horsford) and aunt (Madea) were not.  So, a surprise visit by Lacey’s family at the same time as Conner’s parents made for a hilarious situation.  This movie sends a profound message about prejudice and love.  Tyler Perry always has a spiritual moral to his films — and that’s what I love most about him!  If you just want to sit back and laugh, relax and escape from it all, see A Madea Christmas, otherwise wait for the DVD.