Just watched this again. Damn, this is a rarity. An intelligent black film that has nothing to do with racism (ahem Spike Lee).

Its a familiar type of story (Westerns often used the bad/good sibling thing, and no doubt any stories since the dawn of time have aswell LOL), but the way it transplants such a basic, but powerful story about loyalty into the 90's is highly commendible. Good acting by Allen Payne aswell.

The opening with the visuals and music is quite stunning. Lovely film.

i recall that film....but it's been a long time since i watched it!

I LOVE this movie, even when Allen payne showed his gorilla vest of chest hair and his ass fro but the body was nice.

This is my favorite movie EVERRRRR.I love Purple Rain to death but ummm this movie makes me cry every single time and the only other movie that does that is Malcolm X.
And whats with the jab at Spike Lee? Not all of his movies have to do with racism
Anyway,did you know that alot of people were upset with this movie because they said that evil characters were depicted by people of a darker complexion and the good characters in the movie were lighter skinned people. I dont know about that...what do you guys think?
Its not a crazy question because alot of times the bad gang bangers and drug dealers are played by darker skinned men.

thesexofit said:

Intelligent? What made it intelligent? If anything, it played right into Black stereotypes:

- Absentee father
- Black males in prison
- Black males criminal/violent activities
- Black males jobless

Please, that film wasn't intelligent by any damn means. It was the same old "thug life in the hood" story masquerading as a "love story". Bokeem Woodbine's overacting ass and the sorry ass attempts at the Houston dialect was just embarrassing, neither Allen nor Jada kept it as the movie went on.

And you condemn Spike for "racism films"? Hmm? Like: "He Got Game," "The Inside Man," "The 25th Hour," "She Hate Me," "Mo Betta Blues," "Summer of Sam," "Clockers," "Crooklyn," "She's Gotta Have It" - Yeah, those were ALL about racism . Expand your Spike Lee experience before you make blanket statements about his films.

MuthaFunka said:

ooooohhhh,ur on fiyah

PleasurePrinciple said:

Hey, just telling it like it is. JL was cool for what they accomplished - Shooting a film set in Houston - But it was far from an intelligent film. The one credit I will give it - The sex scene in the meadow was brilliantly shot and choreographed. Other than that, the film was just "ok". And that knock on Spike holds zero merit.

MuthaFunka said:

You forgot Girl 6, I know most of us want to but still. . . I agree. I could not get through the movie because of their jacked up accents. I live in Texas and know people from the 5th Ward in Houston where I believe this was supposed to be based, and I didn't see any realism in it whatsoever. Plus Bokeem makes my ass hurt. . . and not in a good way.

SCNDLS said:

Actually, I thought I wrote G6 down!

And yeah, it's set in the nickel. I used to live in the trey and before I moved there, I would visit and when I heard they were filming a flick down there I went to peep it out. H-Town was buzzin' because the Black experience had never been portrayed in any films and here was their shot and they fell short.

MuthaFunka said:

I used to hang out there a lot when I'd go home with my college friends from H-town. We'd roll through the wards and run back to Missouri City.

SCNDLS said:

Ah! Mo City! I LOVED that city. My ex is from Mo City. Damn, I miss H-Town!

MuthaFunka said:

Ouch

It was only a fun jab at Mr Lee. And I wasn't saying Spikes film ain't intelligent, but just nice to see a movie with black people, without any race talk involved. But yeah, point was, and I meant to say this in my first post, was that Spikes films before "jasons lyric" came out, were often based on race in some form like "jungle fever" "do the right thing" "school daze"....

...out comes "jasons lyric (1994) which is just a simple story about brothers and trying to move on. In its context of when it was released, it was just nice to see that. And yeah, maybe "intelligent" is a bit far LOL. I didn't mind Bookeem actually. Sorta felt sorry for him, which showed, to me, the acting musta been Ok at least.

And Iam a big fan of Spike bytheway, so it was just a lil' joke. Infact I wish Spike would write his own movies again.

I guess "jasons lyric" is more comparable to "poetic justice" in the whole "love story" thing. Miles better then that though.

thesexofit said:

Ah, ok. I can dig that. Cool beans then, bro.

MuthaFunka said:

Miss Texas is from Missouri City. I think she won Miss America or Miss USA too, but I could be wrong.

thesexofit said:

I like Poetic Justice 2

PleasurePrinciple said:

Tupac =

PleasurePrinciple said:

For a second there I thought you were referring to a sequel they made? Cant even remember how the first film ended? All i remember about that movie is that Tupac saved it somewhat from a tv movie to a half decent cimema one. Janet's character was pretty annoying. Particually for a lead role.

Soundtrack to "jasons lyric" is great too. Wish they had included some instrumentals though (i think that beautiful, recurring guitar you here in the movie is the great Albert collins?)

What do you all think of John Singleton? For a debut movie, "boys in the hood" is right up there with "citizen kane", and critics should see that to. To nail it that well for your debut film is very rare indeed.

I guess when come out with such a good debut film, like Orsen Wells with "citizen Kane", the only way is down LOL. But "higher learning" was pretty ropey from what I remember? Havn't seen that one for many years though now.

"four brothers" was quite good though, and if that ain't a modern day western I dont know what is LOL, but like Lee, in recent years, neither have made an ambitious film (to my knowledge). I guess its frustrating to them, but Lee in particular is making movies most (very good) directors could also make.

SCNDLS said:

Is that the sista that fell while walking out on stage?

MuthaFunka said:

If she was black then yeah.

SCNDLS said:

Aw dayum! How she gonna rep the Mo like that?

thesexofit said:

I was glad to see him get "out of the hood" with his movies, that's for sure.

I acutally enjoyed Janet's character.Maybe it was the poems and soft/depressed side but I think she did a good job.I love the scene where shes home by herself listening to Stevie and trying to make herself get out of the funk but ends up in the mirror crying...that didnt touch you at all

MuthaFunka said:

I havn't seen "boyz in the hood" for years, but I always remember it being very good. And again, for a debut film, its impressive. It seemed to inspire some lesser movies like "menace to society" "south central L.A" "straight outta brooklyn" etc.....

..Infact, "south central L.A" is a film I need to see again. I quite enjoyed that one.

"heaven is a playground", anyone remember that one? Obviously a basketball movie, but I cant remember much else LOL

I hate "menace to society"

What did yall think about "The Inkwell"...it was on Bet a couple days ago?

PleasurePrinciple said:

Janet's character just seemed snobby and introverted and that to me, didn't make me care what happened to that character. It didn't help that Miss Jackson cant emote very well either LOL

I love the deliberate misquote from Tupacs character:- "frankly my dear I dont give a fuck" I still remember that one.

Some nicely shot scenes in that movie though if I remember?

thesexofit said:

I think "Heaven" was with Bo Kimble of Hank Gathers fame. Terible flick.

thesexofit said:

I thought she was supposed to come of Snobby
Maybe its better for me since Im an actual Janet fan

MuthaFunka said:

Sounds about right LOL

Talking of basketball flicks. What was the film which had that dumb opening where 2 kids are playing basketball on a roof and one accidently dies? I mean, basketball on a roof LOL Thats asking for trouble?

I think Marlon Wayans was in it? .
[Edited 8/6/08 20:56pm]

PleasurePrinciple said:

I've wanted to see this. Is it any good?