BOO! A MADEA HALLOWEEN

(2016) Never been a big fan of Tyler Perry.  To me, his writing and direction are both very average, and he cranks out material so fast his films and TV series often suffer for it.  Just ... never been a fan, even while I applaud the fact that he's turned mediocrity into a brand that's made him rich.  That said, when she's at her best I LOVE Madea - Perry's sassy, felonious, take-no-prisoners alter ego and ex-stripper senior citizen, whose personality is even more gigantic than she is physically.  I am sad when Madea is moderately funny, and like a kid on Christmas morning when Madea is at her best - which is all a prelude to the fact that, with all its faults, I thought Boo! A Madea Halloween was darned hilarious in places, and between Madea and brother Joe (also played by Perry), along with sidekicks Aunt Bam (the wonderful Cassi Davis) and Hattie (a hilarious Patrice Lovely), I have already watched this film multiple times and it's like visiting an old friend.  Here, Perry also takes on the third role of Brian (Joe's son), a divorced Atlanta federal prosecutor whose eldest daughter - 17-year-old Tiffany - is a mouthy handful.  Brian's going out of town and Tiffany refused to stay with her mom, so when he gets wind that she's sneaking over to a nearby frat party that night he enlists the aid of Madea and company, who show up to keep the girl in line - but then, led by Madea later, are forced to invade the frat party themselves when Tiffany goes MIA (Bam - recently getting her legal marijuana card - is anxious to join in, while Hattie - the horniest old lady in Georgia - is there for the "fresh college men").  The visit stirs up trouble for the frat guys, who plot there own revenge, and yes the film is silly and contrived, with acting skills about on par with the writing and direction ... but for me, sorry, it was also fun; one of those guilty pleasures you put on whenever you're feeling blue and just want to laugh.  Even the 180-degree turn to seriousness toward the end, with the typical Tyler Perry message of faith, love and family amidst the comedy, actually works kind of nicely here with one speech in particular that Perry utters as Brian, that's dead-on.  Long Live Madea! (rated PG-13)  6/10 stars