Bygbaby.com MindspillLast Sunday, my mother celebrated her 55th birthday. Like the bad son that I am, I failed to get a card, send flowers or chocolates but I did call to wish her a happy birthday & invited her on a mother son date for the following Saturday (yesterday). She gladly accepted & I suggested a movie & dinner. After she accepted, she said that she wanted to see “The Secret Life of Bees” & loudly exclaimed that she wanted some ribs from Famous Dave’s. With all that said, the date was set in stone.

So today, I called mamma to let her know what time I was picking her up & she sounded happier that a schoolgirl during our brief convo.

It’s now 3:25 & I am knocking on mamma’s door, she steps out looking sugar sharp, with her new wig on topped with a purple beret that matched her jacket, tight dark jeans & shiny new boots. I teased her & said she looked like she was trying to get chose at the movies & we both laughed. Her old has piece of shit husband, did not find it funny but oh well.

Twenty minutes later, we roll up to the theater, purchased our tickets, then got in line at the concessions stand. Before we got to the cashier, mamma asked if I liked butter on my popcorn; I told her yes, but not too much. After I paid for our snacks, the cashier handed us the icees & medium popcorn & mamma was like, I will put the butter on & I was like ok. Well after I saw what she did, it was not ok. She basically gave the popcorn a butter bath & the bag was so damn greasy, all I could do was laugh. I told her that she had to hold that sack of cholesterol flavored popcorn. Funny thing is, it was good as hell & I winded up holding the bag because she did not want to mess up her jeans. LOL!!!!!

Anyway, let me talk about the movie. I can sum it all up in a few words; “The Secret Life of Bees” is THE must see movie this year!!!

I did not read the book (are you surprised by that???) & I really did not know what it was going to be about so it was all new to me. Comparing it to other movies, It was a mix of the “The Color Purple”, “Beloved”, “the Joy Luck Club” & “Mississippi Burning”.

The story, although a cliché by many standards, offered something fresh to movies that involve racism, sisterhood & love. The relationships in the movie were not complicated but at the same time, they were very complicated & dangerous even.

One thing that I found really interesting about the movie is the timing of its release in terms of the presidential election & how Jennifer Hudson’s character “Rosaleen”/”July” was so proud to register to vote after the passing of the Civil Rights Act. Also seeing how proud Alicia Keys’ character “June” was a strong proud NAACP volunteer (who also looked good as hell in that tight t-shirt & short afro) in the dirty south was inspiring.

It would be really interesting to see what Southern Black & white moviegoers think of the underlying theme of the movies.

Without saying much else, I liked it so much, Suite Suzy & I are planning on seeing it together this week.

If you saw it this weekend:
– Didn’t Queen Latifah play that role to the fullest? I don’t think another could have played it any better.
– Didn’t you want to jump through the screen when “Zach” got snatched out of the theater? In my mind, all I thought about was Emmett Till.
– Wasn’t “June” the ultimate love hater?
– Didn’t “May” make you wish you had your own wailing wall?
– Wasn’t “T. Ray” just like “Mister” from the “Color Purple” but just white and with fewer children?
– Have you ever seen peaches that look that good in real life? I do not like peaches but I would eat one of those?
– Don’t you just love cultured Negro women?
– Didn,t the relationship between “Rosaleen”/”July” & Lily reminded you of the relationship that of Sethe & Amy sharded in Beloved?
-Doesn’t Dakota Fanning always play the perfect little white child.

I am not expecting answers & this is not a quiz, I’m just saying.

On another movie note, I have seen a few other flicks recently starring Negroes that I also think are worth checking out.

“The Family That Preys” – I know this flick got a lot of backlash & hate, but I truly liked it & appreciated the disjointed stories & TV lengthy soap opera appeal. I give the movie a strong DVD recommendation or wait for a good Sunday to see it at the dollar show.

“Lakeview Terrace” – A must see, especially if you like to see Samuel L. Jackson. I mean like crazier than he was in “Pulp Fiction” when he had that “Tasty Burger” at the apartment. This movie flick will also be added to the DVD collection.

“Miracle At St. Anna” – Not necessarily a must see, but I loved it & it will be making the DVD collection! “Miracle At St. Anna” also made it to the list of movies that made me cry. The last movie to make that list was “Antwone Fisher”. So sad that most movie critics trashed this movie. Perhaps they were not ready to hear about a WWII story from a Black perspective. I’m just saying,