8. Madea
Why it was good: Well, in this case I don’t think it ever was. If Tyler Perry’s scores for the series on Rotten Tomatoes are any indicator (which peaked at 38 percent with Madea’s Big Happy Family), it seems like folks go see his films more out of habit than due to an actual burning desire.
The turning point: I’m not going to sit here and pretend I’ve been fully exposed to Perry’s full “Madea” cannon. What is safe to say though is that the point at which the former stage actor decided to churn out one of his drag comedies every year is a pretty solid gauge that the well is running dry.
Why it needs to die: Like any director tied inexplicably to a stagnant franchise, they are doing themselves a disservice. I’d think it unfair to call Perry a hack, some of his non-Madea films have been decently received, if not praised. Essentially, I would like to see how the man would fare behind the camera and outside of his comfort zone. This Fall we’ll at least be able to see how he does as an action star in the adaptation of Alex Cross, though that generic-seeming, likely-flop looks to do little more than turn him back to his past ways.
